Tag Archives: MN North: Lester Park

Snow Birds Return

Year 7, ,

The term “snow birds” normally refers to some of my fellow Minnesotans that spend their winters in Florida or Arizona, but in this case I use the words to call out some returning song birds to the Northwoods. My wife and I drove 100 miles south to meet our son and daughter-in-law for a “social distance hike”. During our hike I found some birds which I have not yet seen near Lake Superior, were enjoying the spring weather (50’s and bright sun).

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Purple Martin (these birds do not live in my area … too cold)

In addition, I made a trip over to the Lester Golf Course ponds which are near my house. My poor Bluebird couple was trying to defend five bird houses from the recently arrived tree swallows.

Tree Swallows trying to take over a birdhouse

Blue-Winged Teal taking a migration break.

Finally all continues well over at the Great Horned Owl nest. These two siblings are really starting to walk around their “home” white pine. The first image was taken right at sunset last night. This morning I found the pair hanging out 20 yards away on the opposite side of the tree … and ten feet higher up … morning sun! Given they are not able to fly, it was quite the walk, but their talons now have great grip strength.

Let the Bird Migration Begin in Earnest!

Year 7,

Okay … migration is really starting to get going … even if the temperature was 23F at sunrise this morning. However, some of my local ponds are ice free, and one only finds Golf Course and the Forest Hill Cemetery. Both locations have ponds which ice out early, and the birds are drawn to these locations like magnets.

The cemetery has a flock of geese maintained by the staff, and birds attract birds. This morning I found a Common Merganser couple and a Wood Duck. I am able to use my car as a blind and get quite close to the waterfowl. It helps that the resident Mallard population is so used to humans that they never take alarm, which relaxes the more wild ducks.

Common Mergansers (black head is the male, rust head is the female)

Wood Duck

Next if was off to the municipal golf course near my house. This set of links has a series of five ponds which are set next to woods, meadows and wetlands. Birds avoid the big lake and use the ponds as a resting spot during migration. The course is only a mile from Lake Superior.

Bluebirds! (a very uncommon bird for my region … “washed out” blue is the female)

Bufflehead Love!

As a fyi … I have these images in higher resolution, but downgraded the photos a bit such that this web page would load a bit quicker on mobile devices.

Good Grebe Morning to You!

Year 6

The Lester Park Golf Course Ponds in Duluth are an excellent spot to bird early in the morning during migration. This Horned Grebe checked me well over shortly after sunrise this morning, and then decided I was harmless. I watched it hunt for about ten minutes till I went to check the other four ponds.

In the last two days I have seen:

1. Ruby Crowned Kinglets (major migration numbers)
2. Yellow-Rumped Warblers (major migration numbers)
3. Palm Warblers
4. Phoebes
5. Tree Swallows
6. Buffleheads (courting battles underway each day)
7. Greater Scaup
8. Great Horned Grebes

and the usual suspects!

One thing I like about the ponds is while the numbers of ducks are not huge (normally 2 to 10 of a given specie), the smaller flocks normally don’t spook so easily giving me a chance to watch. Visit very early in the morning before golfers scare the ducks off the ponds.

Horned Grebe