Helping to lead a bike tour in rural Kentucky. After sheparding around the clients, I had some “me” time two evenings ago on my own bicycle. Came across the Clyde Barrow Gang using a covered bridge for a hangout.
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Peregrine Falcon on the Lake Superior Shore!
I could have also titled this post: 500 Pics + 2 Videos + 1 Dawn Bike Ride = 1 Peregrine Falcon! In short, it was a fantastic time ten minutes after sunrise yesterday. While cycling along Scenic 61 at dawn I first heard a hawk’s fierce killing call, followed by a flash of movement in the corner of my field of view. I decided to get off my bicycle to investigate, and quickly found a peregrine falcon finishing up a morning song bird snack!
I was able to scramble down the steep bank to the shoreline rocks where I slowly inched my way towards the peregrine. As my angle to the bird put me directly in the morning’s low direct sun, I must have been invisible. Stopping only 20 yards away from the falcon I enjoyed watching the raptor as I clicked away with my camera. Realizing this might be a once in a lifetime experience, I tried to perfectly time the crashing waves on the rocks with the peregrine falcon in the foreground. To state it mildly, this was not your typical shorebird!
Upon getting home I chuckled to myself when I discovered I had taken 500 photographs and 2 vidoes. Isn’t burst mode a beautiful thing?! Here is one of my favorite images and a video. This experience just reinforces my next previous post … Birding by Bicycle .
Birding by Bicycle: Horned Lark!
Yesterday I added a new trusty mount to my herd, a mountain bike. This new bicycle will not often be used for trail riding. Instead I plan on biking the numerous remote wilderness logging roads found throughout northeastern Minnesota. Although I can reach all of these areas via my Subaru Outback and then hike, the bike allows me to quietly cover much more territory while getting some nice exercise.
This is my second bike which may now equipped for bicycle birding. My road touring bike, aside from taking me all over North America with Molly on self-supported bike tours, doubles as a birding road bicycle.
My biking kit is pretty basic but includes:
- front handlebar bag capable my Canon SX-60 super zoom bridge camera
- tire change kit
- phone and wallet
- light cycling jacket
In addition, I always have my monopod attached to the bike. When you are in the middle of a 20 mile ride, upon getting off one’s bicycle because of heavy breathing (remember, this is exercise) it is hard to hold a “zoomed camera” very steady. Try giving birding by bicycle a try! (see prior post with a similar them … shows closeup of my equipment)
The Horned Lark I photographed this morning
Birding Bicycle #1: Mountain Bike used for riding dirt logging roads. I also used this bike to explore some remote lakes. Six hours later I would return by car to photograph the Northern Lights display! (good to see areas in the daytime first)
Birding Bicycle #2: Touring Bike used for riding paved roads