Monthly Archives: November 2014

Day 311: Lunch for a Rough Legged Hawk

I enjoyed watching this Rough-Legged Hawk hunt this afternoon on the North Shore of Lake Superior. In total I spent 18 minutes with this hawk. When it made its kill, I worked my way in a bit closer to get these photos. When it took off, it only flew up to the nearest telephone pole and continued hunting. Please note the hawk took off because it was finished eating, not because I scared it!

Looking at me to insure I did not come any closer … I did not!
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Finished lunch and about to take off.
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Takeoff!
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Day 310: Two Hikes … Two Birds

My morning hike took me down into the Knife River Ravine on the North Shore of Lake Superior. This ravine has old growth pines, with some dead trees. In short, great habitat for pileated woodpeckers. Shortly after arriving I heard the whack whack whack above me, and a few minutes of patience yielded today’s woodpecker photo.

In the afternoon I hiked out to the Superior Entry with my wife, son and his fiancee. Given all inland lakes and the harbor itself are now ice over, we found hundreds of goldeneyes in the channel to the open lake. Understanding how skittish goldeneyes are, I waited and soon walkers on the other side of the channel came to close and we had liftoff!

Pileated Woodpecker
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Goldeneye Takeoff
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Day 308 & 309: Late Migrants Through the Northern Forest

The last two days has seen me find two birds from farther north in Canada, that normally should have already migrated through my region. The Hooded Merganser totally surprised me as there is almost no open water anywhere for miles and miles around, yet it found an opening in a small stream to rest and eat.

In a similar sense, the Fox Sparrow was also attracted to a much larger river ravine where one could find a few open spots in the ice. Thus, find food and water in the winter, and you will find birds.

Day 308: Hooded Merganser
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Day 309: Fox Sparrow
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I also enjoyed photographing the arrival of this “laker” to Duluth late Thanksgiving afternoon. The sun and angle was perfect!
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