Tag Archives: MN North: Canal Park

Duluth’s Largest Bird Feeder

Year 9

I have repeatedly stated in the winter, find the food source and find birds. Quite often this means bird feeders, but in Duluth the largest bird feeder may not be obvious to most folks, Canal Park. Once the shipping season ends (January 22nd this past shipping season), and the Coast Guard allows the harbor ice to form, Goldeneyes head for Canal Park. Because of water current, the shipping canal remains open and ice free for 2 to 5 weeks after the harbor ices. Both our native mussels and zebra mussels find the sides of the shipping canal a perfect space to live, and the Goldeneyes now pushed out of the harbor congregate in the Canal … Duluth’s largest bird feeder. This morning I saw well over 200 “eyes” feeding in the canal.

As more ice accumulates on Lake Superior, the mouths of North Shore streams, and the breakwaters in Two Harbors and Grand Marais are excellent “bird feeders”. In addition to Goldeneyes, Long Tailed Ducks also winter on Lake Superior and may occasionally be found. Both duck species love mussels. Finally, these two kinds of ducks are quite beautiful in terms of plumage. I plan repeat visits to Canal Park in the late afternoon when the sun shines almost directly down the canal for close-ups. If you make this visit, park behind the Paulucci Building and then walk over to the canal (path behind building). You MUST hide below the canal wall and then extremely slowly inch your way up by a light post for camouflage (I don’t stand up straight). Goldeneyes spook extremely easily.

Canal Park Goldeneyes

Doing Duluth: Canal Park

Year 8

Should folks who read this blog decide a birding trip to the Northland is in order, also on the agenda should be some ship watching. From late March to late January (10 months), Duluth is one of America’s busiest ports. This afternoon, I watched my favorite ship arrive in the Twin Ports. The Alpena, the oldest ship sailing our waters, was built in 1942 and carries cement around the Great Lakes.

There is a great tool for figuring out when you should visit Canal Park and watch a ship sail under the Aerial Lift Bridge. It is named Harbor Lookout. Use the map and also investigate all the live web cams located from Superior to Silver Bay.

I took these photographs from atop the hill at Enger Park.

Arctic Riviera Birding – Part 2 (Snowys and Goldeneyes)

Year 8,

At 2:30 pm yesterday afternoon the mercury rose to -4F (-19F chill factor). Thus, once again it was time for Arctic Riviera. I took the same approach as for Part 1, and focused upon true “snow birds”. As a write this blog post the following morning, it is now -25F (air temperature). Thus, a good time for writing, not birding.

My first stop was a search for Snowy Owls in Superior. I wondered if the cold weather would mean these owls, which are known for hunting during daylight hours, would in fact be out searching for a bite to eat. For whatever reasons, I found two Snowy Owls, and given their territorial winter hangouts, different birds from yesterday. Here is the immature male I found enjoying some sunshine in a true winter environment.

However, my goal yesterday afternoon was to enjoy some Goldeneyes. Now that the harbor, and much of Lake Superior is iced over, I felt the Duluth Ship Canal (Canal Park) would be one a the few nearby locations with open water due to its faster currents. I was not disappointed, but even with a few more days of this cold, the canal will freeze.

Actually I just pulled up the “live feed” from the Duluth Harbor Cam, and in fact the Canal is in fact now frozen. Thus, my birding opportunity from yesterday afternoon (Goldeneyes) is now kaput.

I arrived at Canal Park in the late afternoon. I knew the sun would be pointed down the Canal on any birds I might find. In addition, the low angle of the sun might allow me to get closer to the Goldeneyes which tend to spook very easily. I suspect the “eyes” were eating zebra mussels which grown on the sides of the canal. I hope you enjoy my images of the Goldeneyes. I consider them one of the more beautiful ducks in this world. Now I need to find some wintering Long Tailed Ducks!