I was not planning on going to Port Washington at sunrise this morning, but when I learned a flock was hanging out in the harbor, I could not resist. I knew from previous visits to this area that birds which eat fish would be near the power plant discharge at sunrise. I had planned on looking for warblers, but the best made plans …
White Pelican Landing Sequence (check-out flight!)
Close-Up of Walking on Water!
I have often stated that birders should remember not to neglect their own back yards (or back woods). The temptation is to go birding in special locations, and while I often follow this approach, I aways leave time to bird the forest out my own back yard. These two songbirds were recent finds. While sighting a goldfinch is common, unless I walk the forest trails I would never see a Veery.
Perhaps I should have just titled this post Morning on Minnesota Point, but if one visits Duluth at some point you will get “bridged”. While some folks might find having to wait 15+ minutes for a freighter to steam in or out of the harbor, we Duluthians take it in stride. If the Aerial Life Bridge is up, you have been “bridged”. Two possible responses to being bridged are to fume at the delay, or take a native’s approach. Leave your car in the middle of the road and walk over the pier to watch the boats. I took the latter approach.
Alpena Arriving in Canadian Sunrise Forest Fire Haze
I was actually heading home when I was bridged. My arrival on Park Point was timed to be shortly after sunup. By 5:30 am I was hiking the dunes and beaches. This Brown Thrasher greeted me with song the moment I started my hike.
After some time on the dunes, I walked over to do some beach combing. While I did see some Common Loons fishing close in to shore, no Red-Throated Loons made their presence known. However there were hundreds of Ruddy Turnstones and Sanderlings migrating north together. Even though I only had two hours for birding given I had to be home by 7:40 am, it was a great relaxing time. I had the beach to myself most of the time.
