10 Common Merganser Ducklings! (video)

Year 13,

One way I use my own blog / website is I look back over past time periods to remind myself what might be happening in the Northland birding world at a given time of year. Thus, yesterday evening I used the “Archives / Timeline” feature of this website and reviewed “Junes” from past years. With that knowledge in tow I was reminded that it was time to check out the Lester River Ravine for Common Merganser ducklings, and this morning I was NOT disappointed!

Given the waves out on the big lake, and the fact the Common Merganser chicks were only a few days old, Momma Merganser was very unlikely to take her brood out of Gitchi Goomi. Thus, I spent over an hour with the merganser family this morning in the small confines of the river. The ducks spent their time between the mouth of the river and the first small rapids. I only left when it was nap time (for the birds, not me).

Lester River Common Merganser Family (10 ducklings)

Make certain you see the video at the end of the post!

Mergansers … the Movie! (watch one youngster climb up onto Mom’s back, and then get pushed off by Mom’s wing. No freeloaders!)

(video link for blog email subscribers)

South Dakota National Grasslands Videos

Year 13

I actually got home from the SD National Grasslands late last week, but it takes me longer to process videos than my still images. In total I visited both the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands near Badlands National Park and the Fort Pierre Grasslands near Pierre. While both grasslands are beautiful, my impression is the Fort Pierre Grasslands gets more rainfall and therefore has more wildlife. However both regions are beautiful in their own respective unique ways. Finally, please accept my apology for including one pic that I also used in a prior post. The landscape image with the Badlands, Burrowing Owl and Jackrabbit just screams “the free range”!

The first few seconds of sunset at Buffalo Gap. The sun has just set behind Badlands National Park.

30 minutes earlier I recorded this sunset drive (video link for email subscribers)

Just after the drive I took this photo! You can see the lengthening shadows.

Of course given my earlier reference to “Home on the Range” a video with a deer or antelope was required! (video link for email subscribers)

In closing … my birdsong videos … a Western Meadowlark and Dickcissel

  1. Meadowlark video for blog email subscribers
  2. Dickcissel video for blog email subscribers

And now this Summer’s trip to the National Grasslands is a wrap.

Home on the Range Birding!

Year 13

Yesterday appeared as if it would be a horrible day of birding. I had moved on from the National Grasslands near Pierre, South Dakota to Badlands National Park. My research had indicated Mountain Bluebirds AND Blue Grosbeaks were both being seen regularly at the Cliffs Trail. I saw crows, and only crows!

Unfortunately I now had over four hours to kill before I could check into my cabin. The lack of water in the Badlands (and all the people) really made this seem like a horrible birding choice/location for me. Thus, on the spot I decided to leave the park and drive a random dirt road which was only two miles distant. At first this appeared to be another bad choice, but then I struck paydirt … a prairie dog town with a large number of Burrowing Owls and Western Meadowlarks. Better yet, with extra effort on my part I could get birds in front of the Badlands Mountains. Please note in my three hours of this dirt road I say nary another person, or vehicle. The crowds in the park were intent on staying in the park, and only using park roads. Here are some of the images that resulted.

Birds of the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands

High Noon …

Golden Hour Before Sunset …

The Badlands Mountain

Western Meadowlarks

An Antelope Which FINALLY Decided to ignore me!