Red-Headed Woodpecker Time!

Year 12

Over the past two weeks I have been privileged to watch a Red-Headed Woodpecker family. I owe a HUGE thanks to my birding friend who showed me the nest hole location. Red-Headed Woodpeckers are extremely rare in northeastern Minnesota and I promised I would not blog about these birds till the young had fledged and flown, which they have now in fact done. It was a treat to watch the family grow up! On many occasions I have noted how much I love to bird Forest Hill Cemetery, which is where these beautiful birds called home.

Red-Bellied Woodpeckers

Feeding the young. Tombstones are great ambush locations for bugs!

Showing the Juveniles how and where to eat!

And two videos (links for email subscribers: video 1 | video 2)

White-Tailed Deer Family: Fawn Swimming Lessons!

Year 12

Lake Vermilion is a very large wilderness lake in northern Minnesota, and yesterday our family watched a special event … a white-tailed deer family swimming from the mainland to some islands. While I choose to believe the doe was giving her fawn’s swimming lessons, I’m sure her moving the family to the islands is much more practical. These larger islands now have plenty of natural food, and few predators. Anyhow … enjoy.

In addition I created a very short video which contains a series of still images … showing the swimming. The second fawn was about 30 yards behind this doe and fawn. (video link for email subscribers)

And the still images … White-Tailed Deer Fawn Swimming Lessons

Now is Hawk Hunting Time

Year 12

My family has taken over an entire resort on Lake Vermillion’s Black Bay. Special family times are the rule when you have the grand couple (Molly and me), our three kids (and their 3 spouses) and eight grandkids … plus three family dogs!

Whether it is the older grandchildren or the the younger they all like to sleep in till after 8 am, which gives your truly the opportunity to still go out birding at 6 am and be back for family breakfasts at 9 am. Life is good.

The Lake Vermillion / Cook area has some great Boreal Forests and Bogs, within minutes of our rented cabin. This morning I drove Johnson Road to the east of Cook, and then crossed over Hwy 53 to visit Plum Creek Road to the west of Cook. My route stayed very close to the Rice River. The birding was fun, and the dirt roads were basically reserved for my own use.

Right now Hawks are dealing with chicks that are demanding food, as evidenced by this Broad-Winged Hawk and Kestrel. The raptors need to hunt almost continuously which makes finding them much easier. I actually flushed this Broad-Winged by accident, but came back to the same exact spot 30 minutes later … the hawk had also returned!