Category Archives: Year 4

North American Darth Vader Bird!

Year 4, ,

Looking for love in all the wrong places! Sunday morning along the Western Waterfront Trail in Duluth I found the rare North American Darth Vader Bird (common grackle). At sunrise this bird was looking for a Mrs. Vader, but alas … he was spurned!

North American Darth Vader Bird!

Now that I have returned to the Northland from Costa Rica, I have been making the rounds of my favorite birding locations and evaluating the status of the Spring migration. Apparently over the past two weeks cold weather slammed the migration to a stop, but the early migrants have been busy finding mates, building nests Great Blue Herons) … and in the case of Great Horned Owls … raising owlets!

Great Blue Heron Love

Bringing home a stick for the nest

Sharing a stick with your Beloved!

Formal Engagement Photo

High Rise Apartment Living!

Great Horned Owl (Mom and Owlettes)

Great Horned Owl Chicks!

Year 4

Mom says it’s called a wing, but I’m not sure for what it’s used!

Arrived back in the USA at midnight, and made it to my daughter’s house by 1 am. Thus, I had to get up by 6 am and check out the Great Horned Owl which my son, Erik, had discovered while marathon training. It was nice to need a jacket to keep warm …  no Costa Rico heat and humidity!

Here are two more images. Mom owl was catching some well deserved rest on a bough ten yards away from the nest.

Costa Rican Closers

Year 4

I took my last mountain bike ride along the trails overlooking the Pacfic Ocean this morning. Even though it was 5:30 am when I left, and dawn would not yet peek above the ridge for 20 minutes, the heat and humidity were oppressive. However upon reaching the trailhead at the end of my ride two new birds awaited … a Crested Caracara and a Cinnamon Hummingbird. I gathered some quick photos and departed to enjoy a cold shower. Oh yeah … it snowed yesterday in northeastern Minnesota!

Crested Caracara and a Cinnamon Hummingbird

I am also posting now images of three birds I photographed yesterday morning … a Great-crested Flycatcher, a White-Lored Gnatcatcher, and a pair of White-Fronted Parrots.