Category Archives: Year 13

40,000 Bird Songs from Northern Minnesota!

Year 13
This morning I achieved 40,000 birdsong sound ID’s made and recorded since my little Raspberry-Pi birdsong listening computer went live last August. The number would be even higher if I did not configure my computer differently than the standard install:
  • Force the confidence for an I.D. to be 75% rather than the standard 70% used by the Cornell Merlin App and BirdNET-Pi. 2)
  • Require the computer to wait 2 minutes before I.D.’ing the same bird species.

Regardless, it has been very fun to learn more about the birds singing in my yard, and give/build/install similar listening systems at many of NE Minnesota’s Nature Centers. I have also built listening stations for many friends, and also have five systems I modified for placement off the grid in the wilderness. Learn more!

The post directly linked above explains how I brought a listening station to Costa Rica this past winter. I discovered via my listening station that Elegant Trogon’s lived in an area I liked to bird, which then led me on a quest to both see and photograph the Elegant Trogon!

Migration Madness! Northern Flickers and Much More!

Year 13

Even though my cabin has zero running water this time of year, and I knew Northstar Lake would be socked in with ice, I made the two hour NW drive over from Duluth. My lake in is the southernmost body of water of the Hudson Bay Watershed. All waters flow north! The forecast said the weather would be warm (70F) and sunny. Thus, I ignored the ice and stayed away from the shore where it was chilly and opened up the windows and doors … wanting fresh air inside after being closed up all winter. It is the fastest way to warm up a non heated cabin (or cool it down). Whatever the temperature is outside, eventually my cabin will reflect those conditions. Thus, if it’s 20F outside, it will be 20F inside. Thankfully I do have both a wood stove and fireplace for those chilly days.

Mother Nature came through. By early afternoon as I worked on a new wood shed, strong winds out of the south were pushing huge numbers of migration birds  Here is the bird report only one hour after sunrise this morning via my BirdNET-Pi. (click or press upon to maximize for easier reading)

After I finished my chores I took a hike and then sat on the front deck. The number of migrating Northern Flickers was amazing (some will stay in my local forest) . These birds were eating bugs off the ground, and I hoped if I stayed motionless long enough the flickers would forget about my presence. Northern Flickers are a skittish species. Anyhow, jackpot!

Lake Superior Tidal Lagoon Birding

Year 13

Well … not exactly. Instead on this day with a temperature of 37F yet rain, sleet, thunder and lighting as air masses reach Lake Superior, it is time to finish up my Costa Rican posts, and wish I was in that sunny, warm location. A great place for birding are any Tidal Lagoons you find. These small ponds get recharged almost daily with water when high tides breach their “sand barriers”. The incoming tides bring food into the lagoons … fish and other yummies for birds. When the tide recedes the small fish and other delicacies are trapped which makes for each fishing / hunting / etc. on the part of birds. Should the lagoon have a small fresh water source during Guancaste’s “rainy season”, so much the better! While in Costa Rica I went birding at tidal lagoons at Zapotal, Las Catalinas, and Playa Potrero (featured in this post)

I will add that while the North Shore of Lake Superior’s rocky coast does not have any lagoons, the south shore with its much milder landscape has some really nice wetlands where rivers empty into the big lake, and those are also great spots to go birding … just no tides!

Playa Potrero Tidal Lagoon

Northern Jacana (trying to scare small fish with its wings, and carry a “tool” in its beak which it would also drop to startle small fish)

Bare-Throated Tiger Heron (adult)

 

Scissor-Tailed Fly Catcher (catching bugs next to the Lagoon’s calm water)

Snowy Egrets and White Ibis (fishing both the lagoon and surf)