Tag Archives: MN North: Duluth

Bog Birding! (Great Gray Owl and more …)

Year 1, ,

What a great way to start a fantastic day! I watched by myself this Great Gray Owl hunt right at sunrise yesterday morning. Our fun ended about twenty minutes later when a Bald Eagle arrived on the scene … scaring the owl into the deep woods. My day only got better and better.

My next stop was the Welcome Center for some training and birding. I needed a refresher on procedures and the locations of all our materials at the Center. My first attempt at volunteering was snowed out about one week ago. I then proceeded to hike Gray Jay Way. While I did not find my desired Boreal Chickadees, I saw Evening Grosbeaks, Gray Jays (of course), Redpolls, and this female Pine Grosbeak (and even more bird species). The weather was glorious. The temperature hovered around freezing, and nary a breath of wind stirred in the woods as the bright sun shone down of the beautiful white snowscape.

I took one more hike at the South Logging Trail hoping I might find a Northern Hawk Owl back away from McDavitt Road, but no luck. On my way out of the Bog I stopped at Winterberry Bog to do some volunteering and check to see if the Ermine was enjoying the deer carcass (not yesterday afternoon).

Rather than going directly home, given the temperature was approaching 40F (crazy warm), and there still was not an ounce of wind, I drove straight to Superior. My hope was the non existent wind and warm weather would result in my finding a Snowy Owl out long before sunset … enjoying the nice conditions. I was not disappointed!

When you have an itch on top of your head!

The claw!

Just hanging out … being weird … or a normal Snowy Owl! 

Finally, if you are still with me, and you are worried about rising food prices … particularly the cost of your holiday Turkey. I know where you may find a wild bird!

Some commentary … while it is true that you may run into crowds at some of the more popular locations (Hwy 7, Admiral Road, etc) while trying to find the Gray Ghost of the Forest (Great Gray Owl), Sax-Zim Bog is huge. I rarely saw other people yesterday except at the Welcome Center and Winterberry Bog. My private time with the owl resulted because I invested the time and effort to find a bird in the less popular locations. One may easily enjoy peace and solitude in the Bog.

Glensheen Christmas!

Background, Year 8

Earlier this week I attended Glensheen’s Photoshoot. This is another of my off topic posts, but if you are birding northeast Minnesota this holiday season, a visit to Duluth’s Downton Abbey should be on your agenda. Most of this post’s text is from a blog entry dated two years ago, but the images are from both years. However, for those of you who want birds, stay tuned. I spent quality time with Pine Grosbeaks and crabapples this afternoon! Post coming.

In the early 1900’s Duluth was home to one of the largest concentrations per capita of millionaires in the United States. Between the Mining, Railroad and Lumber Barons, this town was a hopping place where fortunes were made (and occasionally lost!). On the shores of Lake Superior in Duluth you will find the mansion of one of these magnates, Glensheen (now owned by the University of Minnesota Duluth). Chester Congdon was the owner of this beautiful home on the shores of Lake Superior. A small creek, Tischer Creek, runs through the estate grounds, but as a boy growing up in Duluth I only knew the stream by its local name, Congdon Creek.

While everyone from out of town seems to know about Duluth’s HUGE harborfront holiday lights display named Bentleyville, Glensheen now hosts an equally impressive Christmas display including Park Point resident’s Marsha Hale’s famous white lights. Unlike at Bentleyville, while at Glensheen when you get cold outside, you may then go inside and enjoy Glensheen’s indoor decorations! The mansion is truly decked out for the holidays both inside and out.

One final note, growing up both my wife and I always wanted to live down on the shores of Gitche Gumee just like Chester Congdon. Now older, and a few years wiser, we like our home 800 yards inland on Amity Creek across from the The Deeps waterfall. We are somewhat protected from the lake’s cruel winds!  🙂

Christmas Lights at Glensheen

Outside

Inside

Molly and Rich … on the grounds

Mayfly Madness Woodpeckers

Year 8

I found two Red-Headed Woodpecker chicks sticking their heads out of the nest hole yesterday afternoon! Thus, Duluth’s first known Red-Headed Woodpecker nest has been successful. Better yet, there may be a second nest! (location to remain equally anonymous)

The chicks were gorging themselves yesterday on Mayflies. Red-Headed Woodpeckers are unique among woodpecker in that they snag insects out of the air just like flycatchers. Read more via Cornell’s All About Birds.

Here are a few pics from yesterday afternoon.

Is Mom up there?!