Tag Archives: MN North: Two Harbors Highlands

Winter Birding

Year 5,

This morning I saw my first two flocks of pine grosbeaks in the Duluth area. The first flock of 20+ birds were migrating through Two Harbors; the second flock was hanging out in Cloverland on Korkki Road. The grosbeaks were using both ash and pygmy crab apple trees for their breakfast.

I have not yet seen any Bohemian Waxwings. Both species will increasingly relate to berries. The best two berry caches about which I know between Duluth and Two Harbors include Pioneer Jct. Road (take McQuade Road to Smith River Road) and the parking lot opposite the two locomotives in Two Harbors. Worth checking both if you are in the area.

On another note, I will NOT be putting out my winter birds feeders on Old Vermilion Trail till after the Minnesota firearms deer hunting season concludes on Sunday, November 18th.

One of this morning’s Pine Grosbeaks

Duck … Duck … Duck … Goose!

Background, Year 5

Here in Minnesota we play Duck, Duck, Duck … Goose! Apparently some of you misinformed people in this world play Duck, Duck, Duck, Gray Duck! Sad, you really need to learn how to play this children’s game!

Having expressed my knowledge, I will note that I have updated the Birding With Children web page which is part of this site. The page now includes curriculum and resources focused upon teaching children about birds (towards the bottom of the linked page). Better yet, within a few weeks I will publish a new beginning children’s reader’s book, Hey There Mr. Owl! Stay tuned.

Here are screenshots of the tentative front and back covers …

Oh yes … Goose, or Snow Goose! (image  taken yesterday near Castle Danger)

Castle Danger Birding

Year 5

Yesterday morning, I finally had the opportunity to head out birding for the first time in several days. Both a paid photography assignment and shutting down my cabin’s water system for the winter have been my priorities. (Note to self: Wading into the water in a lake  that flows north to Hudson’s Bay in late October is dumb, and very, very cold).

Thankfully for me, if not the birds, the winds blew out of the south yesterday warming the northern Minnesota boreal forest. I decided to head up to Castle Danger, and then a bit inland to the Silver Creek area. I knew that migration would be on hold as birds would not be interested in flying against the strong southern wind. This is the same area where I hand captured / rescued Silver the Snowy Owl last Fall on October 30th. Soon Snowy Owls will invade the Northland for another winter.

Regardless, Castle Danger did not disappoint. I found lots of birds taking advantage of ponds which still had insects. Here are some of my image captures.

Rusty Blackbird

Lapland Longspur

Rusty Blackbird and Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper and Dunlin

Dunlin