All posts by richardhoeg@gmail.com

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet!

Year 6

Yesterday our ugly weather finally went away. While the sun did not shine, the snow, sleet and high winds were finally a thing of the past. I decided to walk the Lester Park Golf Course and check out its five ponds. As the course is still closed due to the wet spring, I had the links to myself, which also meant I both did not have to dodge golf balls, or have golfers scare birds. I did have to put up with some light fog, but that was a minor issue.

I was quickly pleased to see a huge number of Ruby-Crowned Kinglets were migrating through the area. However capturing one in a photograph was difficult. Light fog means low light, and these birds move fast and rarely sit still. Thus, I observed the habits of this bird. Most of the kinglets would move around the shores of the ponds, picking great bug ambush spots. Thus, I need to think like a bird and guess likely landing locations. The process worked and quite often the birds landed on the reeds which I had already focused my camera upon. Thus … in wildlife photography … anticipate!

Ruby-Crowned Kinglets

By this morning the kinglets were gone, but my first Tree Swallows had occupied the same ponds. It was nice to see the swallows. This morning there was sun (and 33F!)

May Day Winter Birding

Year 6, ,

Nobody is dancing around the May Pole in northern Minnesota. On the first day of May, winter continues to resink its grip. A bit up the Lake Superior shore from Duluth over a foot of snow fell two days ago. Thankfully we did not get whacked. This morning the strong winds out over Lake Superior directed me to head inland. Deep in the Boreal Forest I found some courting in progress. As you look at the pictures of Tom Turkey there are a number of oddities …

  • Snow on the ground on May 1st … more expected tonight and tomorrow.
  • Turkeys in the northern Minnesota Boreal Forest. I do not think of a turkey as a forest bird, and they used to be a rare sighting in these parts. Over the past two days I have seen turkeys five times, but three times in a deep forest location. These birds have dramatically expanded their range over the past ten years, and into habitat not traditionally associated with turkeys. I understand turkeys are almost becoming a “pest bird” in suburbs of large cities.

I also found my first shore bird of the season yesterday afternoon, just not down on Park Point. The sand spit jutting out into Lake Superior and which forms the Duluth harbor is still covered in ice. Thus, smart shorebirds head inland while migrating north. This Greater Yellowlegs was hanging out at the Forest Hill Cemetery Pond.

Oh yes … Molly and I got “beared” last night. Yogi knocked down four feeders. The bent pipe has a one inch diameter. Thus, Yogi is not lacking for strength. The bummer is I never got to see the bruin, who decided to attack our feeders in the middle of the night. Often we get to watch the destruction in progress, but last night our final visitor before my bed time was a skunk underneath the feeders.

The Well Dressed Bicycle Birder at 35F

Background, Year 6

Some of you may remember my post from this past winter … The Well Dressed Birder at at -13F. In the same public interest spirit, here is an updated version for slightly warmer weather … The Well Dressed Bicycle Birder at 35F! This post builds upon Dry Eyes and Birding Post of earlier today.

Today’s weather is ugly, but at least during my ride the snow flurries had tapered off. The wind is still blowing in hard off Lake Superior. The waves and white caps were impressive. In terms of my goggles, my eyes were never cold and zero wind reached within to cause me vision issues. The windchill during today’s ride when I was cycling into the wind was around 15F. To get more background on how these goggles are helpful for both the cyclist and birder with dry eyes, read my other post from today. I have more non cycling and dry eye tips in that post.

The Well Dressed Bicycle Birder (with goggles)

The Well Dressed Bicycle Birder (with face shield … which I did NOT use today)

The Face Shield (good in warmer weather … lets in too much cold and wind on a day like today … attaches to bike helmet via the three magnets shown)