Bicycle Birding!

Most folks bird by car, and then hike. In my case, the bicycle is often my preferred mode of transportation. Yesterday morning I set off at 7 am for a 30 mile jaunt up the hill from Lake Superior, and then a nice tour through the rural lands near my home, before enjoying a 2.5 mile downhill glide back to the shores of Lake Superior and home. When taking this kind of ride it pays to think about the position of the sun before setting off. One wants to be able to see w/o squinting into the sun. (read my post: Bird Photography by Bicycle)

If you enjoy photographing birds, it is on bike rides where a super zoom / bridge camera really shines. My Canon SX60 (read my camera review) easily fits in my front handlebar bag, and my monopod is trapped to my rear bag. When biking I can easily pull my camera out of the handlebar bag for a quick photo w/o even dismounting from my camera. For better images, I dismount and use my monopod.

Here is a very brief trip report. On Seven Bridges Road during the first mile near my own house I had fun observing many warblers, an Indigo Bunting, a great crested flycatcher and a red-bellied woodpecker. Upon climbing to Lester River Road, a huge number of Common Yellowthroats were present in addition to normal “farm birds”. Roberg Road which I use to bike between Lester River Road and Lakewood Road yielded a gem. A Sandhill Crane was having a morning snack, and this sighting is the closest I have ever had to the Duluth city limits.

I was actually disappointed to not see my American Kestrel family in a farm known to me out on Korkki Road … only the Kildeer family was in evidence. Upon taking the long downhill to Lake Superior the big lake did not yield up any interesting watefowl. In addition, to the birds my ride was relaxing and beautiful … the wildflowers (lupines) are in full bloom, and the rest of the scenery was also grand!

Seven Bridges Road (Great Crested Flycatcher, Indigo Bunting, Red-Bellied Woodpecker)