Category Archives: Year 5

Bird Photography Snob!

Year 5

My secret was discovered early this morning in Sax-Zim Bog. I am a bird photography snob! While others try to pad birding lists, I swoon over certain birds and ignore others! My good friend Greg discovered that fact this morning. When we saw a female Bluebird in the bog, a sight I have to admit I had never seen in Sax-Zim, I did not even attempt to take a photograph. The sun angle and the distance were reasonable; thus I could not use that excuse for not pressing down on the shutter. Greg asked me why I did not take a photo and I responded … “It wasn’t the male”. Greg used polite words, but the message was … “you’re a bird photography snob!” Guilty as charged!

In 1964 when I was eight years old my parents gave me my first birding books, National Geographic’s “Song and Garden Birds of North America” and “Water, Prey and Game Birds of North America”. Over the years with moves to college, a wedding and our first home, and now our return to Duluth, these two books have remained with me through every move (most books have not survived). I know that based upon what I saw in those books, my love of certain birds (and not others) were shaped. Growing up in the Boreal Forest I never saw grassland birds. The cover page of Song and Garden Birds was a Meadowlark. I LOVE Meadowlarks, and till I retired a few years ago and had time to devote to both birding and photography, I had never seen a Meadowlark. Growing up I never knew there were grassland birds 50 miles away from Duluth. My parents were not birders. Here is a photograph from each book. There is still a paper clip on the eagle / osprey page from years ago. To this day I can not help but stop the car and watch whenever I see either of these two birds.

One of the other birds I loved, but never saw were Bobolinks. Well, only 100 yards away from the female Bluebird I found this Bobolink. My camera came out and the image was taken.

Oh yes, I also grew up reading dog books, and loved Jim Kjellgaard’s series, Big Red, Irish Red, and Outlaw Red. I was convinced I would never have any other kind of dog EXCEPT an Irish Setter. WRONG! For years until she died a few years back, a rescue dog named Spot and I were inseparable. She and I were joined at the hip. The American Kennel Club never recognized Spot’s breed, a Bassamation. This mutt was a combination of a basset hound and a dalmatian and I loved her. Perhaps I am not a snob after all … just extremely picky on who gets my attention and love! How about you???

Big Red

Spot and I out on NorthStar Lake (and Cyrus)

Gray Fox and Prey!

Year 5

I consider myself lucky to live on the edge of the northern Boreal forest across from Amity Creek. Since early late last Fall I have been privileged to watch two gray foxes which are regular visitors underneath my bird feeders. In the late Fall / early winter my fox friends will eat bird seed, but now that it is finally Spring in northern Minnesota, and there are hungry kits to feed, their diet has changed! They still visit my bird feeders, but not in search of bird seed. This chipmunk learned that fact the hard way. Hungry mouths at home also mean my foxes hunt in the daytime, which normally is unusual.

Here are a few images I have taken over the past nine months, including a video where my fox friends give wide berth to a skunk! I think it’s about time I give names to my foxes!

Bog Stompin to the Heron Rookery!

Year 5

This morning, shortly after 6am, I found myself squishing, stompin, and kerplopping along a Northwoods trail. My goal was to visit a Great Blue Heron Rookery and see whether the chicks were ready to make an appearance. Upon my arrival I was pleased to see the hike through the mosquito infested forest had been worthwhile! The melodious sound of Great Blue Herons greeted me, and for the next two hours I watched these huge birds glide into and do a somewhat controlled crash landing at their own nest to deliver breakfast.

This first image shows where I hung out in the Bog. I never approached closer than this spot. With my super zoom camera and binoculars I could easily watch the proceedings. Thankfully my viewing location soon caught a morning breeze and the bugs became less of a nuisance. The rising sun also raised the temperature from 45F to 63F. Life was good!

Here are the photographs from my morning at the rookery. I will have to return in about one week when the chicks are bigger. I’ll lead off with a video from this morning!

Images

While I was watching the herons, this Osprey was watching me! Its nest was only 200 yards distant. In total I found two active Osprey nests and one Common Loon’s nest while travelling to the rookery this morning! As some haze moved in, I decided to call it quits and come back another day.