Monthly Archives: September 2014

Days 226 to 235: Biking Birds of the American West

My wife and I are in the middle of a 1,500 mile self – supported bike tour which started near Glacier National Park and routes us down to the Oregon Coast via various river systems and the high plateau. Upon reaching the Oregon coast near Eugene, Oregon we will swing up the Pacific to Seattle where the biking portion of our trip will finish (bike trip diaries). The first ten days of our trip have seen his biking through areas where the average annual rainfall is less than 10 inches. The birds that survive this climate tend to locate near water sources … thus like back home in Minnesota … find the water and food sources … find the birds.

Thus, here are my daily birds of the American West. As we have now reached the Columbia River in Richland, Washington, water is once again in abundance. Click or press upon any image to view at full size.

Day 226: Magpie on a fence post

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Day 227: Golden Eagle

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Day 228: Osprey at sunrise on the Clark Fork River

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Day 229: The Cormorants of Lake Pend Oreille

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Day 230: Osprey along the Pend Oreille River

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Day 231: Eurasian Turtle Dove

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Day 232: Grand Coulee Dam Robin

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Day 233: Spring Canyon Campground California Quail

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Day 234: Killdeer and friend at dawn on Soap Lake

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Day 235: American Kestrel

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Days 223 to 225: Road Trip Birds

Molly and I have reached the Glacier National Park area which is where will start our own Glaciers to the Sea self – supported bike tour. The past few days have seen us drive over 1,400 miles to our bicycle starting point. Obviously a 365 day project means while on the road I still had to get my daily bird photograph. Molly was great in terms of understanding that at a moments notice anywhere from Minnesota to Montana I might slam on the brakes and pull over to the shoulder in search of my bird … whether it was a red-tailed hawk hunting from a power pole or a killdeer hanging out in a prairie dog down. Thus, I bring you “road trip birds”

Day 223: Red Tailed Hawk

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Day 223: Trumpeter Swans

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Day 224: Killdeer and Prairie Dog

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Day 225: Feed Me! (Cliff Swallow)

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Days 220 to 222: The Birds of NorthStar Lake

Molly and I are slowly working our way west to start our Glaciers to the Sea Bike Tour. Our first stop on our drive to our bike tour starting point is our small cabin on NorthStar Lake near the Canadian border in northern Minnesota. Over the past three days we have enjoyed quiet time with friends, and of course … birds! As most of the song birds have already migrated south out of the area this Labor Day Weekend, I have focused myself on birds that utilize the lake itself to live and feed.

I was particularly pleased to photograph the bald eagle this morning. Three years ago the pine tree where are resident eagles had nested for over 20 years blew down in a big storm. This Summer a new pair moved into a nearbye white pine. Hopefully these two eagles will also raise many happy eaglets over the upcoming years just a few hundred yards from our cabin.

Press or clicks upon any image to view at full size.

Day 220: Tongued Yodeling Common Loon

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Day 221: Common Mergansers in the Reeds

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Day 222: Lord of the Realm

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Our Planned Bike Tour Route: If you would like to follow our tour, please browse to my main blog at http://www.NorthStarNerd.org which will link you to Molly’s and my trip diaries.

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