Moose & Bear Birding

Year 13

One does not head out birding with the aim of seeing moose or bears, but advance research enhances your probability of seeing either of these fine mammals. I spend lots of time on hikes or slowly driving back roads looking for wildlife signs (scat, tracks, trodden game trails, etc.). Using my trailcams helps me  learn/confirm whether an area is good bird and mammal habitat habitat. Remember, wetlands … bogs … and streams are fantastic food factories. In addition, most mammals prefer not to get their feet or bodies wet, and will use “dry choke points” to cross very wet spots.

With those thoughts in mind, and research done as noted over the past few weeks, in the past few days I have seen one bear, and four moose in the wild (not at or near my birdfeeders). Please note, wild animals should not to be feared. However always ensure you do not get between a mom and her young, which is about the only time Minnesota’s wildlife might get aggressive. Further commenting, unlike Grizzly Bears, Black Bears are mild natured.

Enjoy my images … it was fun to watch Momma Moose and her young, and early in the season the large Black Bear was at the top of a very tall aspen tree … eating aspen leaves and just emerging leaves.

I also enjoyed watching this Moose family. The two calves were obviously quite young.

My trailcams were active. Poppa Moose actually fogged up my trailcam in the daytime images … (video links for blog subscribers: one | two | three)

And I said this was Moose and Bear Birding … thus the birds … American Goldfinch, Blue Jay and Solitary Sandpiper … walking the Greenwood Bog Trail.

Puddle Power Birding!

Year 13

Today is sunny, but the past two days have been cold, dreary, wet and foggy. Each night saw significant rainfall in Northeastern Minnesota. Who would want to go birding in these conditions? Me!

As sometimes happens after heavy rains large puddles form in the parking lot for the Park Point Recreation Area. One area in particular has lots of potholes, gets very little automobile traffic and I have learned birds hiding from the wind blowing in off Lake Superior decide the big parking lot puddle is great habitat … think drowning bugs which make for easy meals.

While i did not see lots of birds, the puddle came through with some rare shorebirds working their way north to the Arctic (rare for Minnesota). Thus, I give you Puddle Power Birding. I was thrilled to see Short-Billed Dowitcher, a Wilson’s Phalarope, and the not so rare Great Yellowlegs.

Puddle Power Birding … the Movie (video link for blog email subscribers)

The Other Hartley Park!

Year 13,

Most folks bird Hartley Park by parking at the Nature Center Parking Lot, and then walking the trails that lead way from the Center towards the pond, wetlands, and creek, but do you bird the other “Hartley Park?” Two years ago the park and the City of Duluth created storm runoff ponds which you may see “off to the right” as you drive down into the park. Two years have now been enough time for the ponds to develop … with wetlands and mud / grass flats. In addition, the park and city have cleared the underbrush and and overgrown small trees across Woodland Avenue from “park central”. The remaining white pines and deciduous trees are perfect hunting and nesting platforms for raptors. Take a walk in this area and note all the snags and cavities found within this area.

Found immediately below is a Strava record of this morning’s walk. I park on the first street past Hartley Park (Northfield Street) … directly across from the Woodland playing fields. The route hiked starts on a trail which is signed directly across from the Northfield / Woodland Avenue Intersection. My right turn during the hike was onto the well marked Duluth Traverse Trail which descends down to the Woodland Avenue immediately next to the park entrance road. In total I only walked 7/10 of mile with 80 feet of elevation change … as measured by STRAVA. Yesterday’s Barred Owl was hunting at 9:00 am in the Snag area, and finally flew into the old growth area where I assume it has a nest. There is no other reason for a Barred Owl to be hunting at 9:00 am other than hungry owlets.

It would be a longer hike to walk the ponds, but this morning’s drizzle did not encourage me to add that onto my walk!