Tag Archives: MN North: Amity

Bluebird Breakfast

Year 7,

Perhaps I should have named this post … Bluebirds for Breakfast! After yesterday’s SD card disaster I walked over again to Lester Park Golf Course at sunrise. This course is just inland from Lake Superior, and given it was closed this year by the City of Duluth due to budget constraints, it has become a great wildlife / birding refuge. I know from others who walk the course in the late evening that Hoot enjoys a periodic hunt at the links!

I easily saw over 200 migrating Bluebirds this morning, mostly in flocks of 3 to 8 birds. This Merlin also saw lots of Bluebirds this morning, and benefited from the experience.

Winds were calm this morning, and the Bluebirds tended to stay much higher in the trees (yesterday’s strong winds forced the birds down towards the ground for easier flying).

Upon getting home from my morning jaunt with the Bluebirds, I found my first Fox Sparrow on the season under my own feeders. This is one of my favorite sparrows, and I am lucky if I see a few each fall migration. It is working its way south from the Canadian tundra.

In addition, the number of Slate-Colored Juncos hanging around my house is amazing. HUGE numbers.

Dark Falls Colors with a Hoot!

Year 7

For the first time in almost a month I am hearing owl song tonight … both begging from the juveniles and one of the parents hooting. It is nice to hear them, and seems to indicate my neighborhood will be part of a territory again for the next mating season. I was actually quite surprised to hear an adult hooting on October 2nd. I went outside and listened for ten minutes! It was most enjoyable. Last year I did not hear owl song till the end of November.

On the Fall Colors front one of my favorite songbirds has come out of the forest … Slate Colored Juncos (now known as Dark Eyed Juncos). I really enjoy all the different color variations between the males and females. It just shows grays and browns are beautiful. With Juncos showing up at my feeder it really indicates winter is coming. In fact, today’s high was 39F. Apparently it snowed about 70 miles from here today … inland from Lake Superior.

Slate Colored Juncos

And yet more Fall Colors!

Year 7,

Rain drenched birds! Once I got home from my morning trip to Sax-Zim Bag, the drizzle arrived. For the past few days I have tried unsuccessfully to photograph a male purple finch against the Mountain Maples in my yard. Finally, in the rain, I succeeded! (okay … against Aspen leaves, not the brilliant red maples … oh well.)

And of course … the blue parade continues … just a wet parade.

Finally, I forgot to include this Red-Tailed Hawk photo I took up in the Bog this morning. This raptor took over the hunting duties when the owls went to bed!