Lupines are a sure sign of Summer here in northern Minnesota. Last night I took a break from sleeping around 12:15 am and went outside to photograph some lupines in the almost full moon. ThIs was the result (15 second exposure at ISO 800 with an aperture of 2.7 … no flash used). Focus was dialed in to 1/2 foot.
I speak Indigo Bunting, and Catbird … and even Wilson’s Snipe. Yes, via my Star-Trek Birding Universal Translator Device I speak many birding languages, and the birds speak back to me! Actually in my case I am using iBird Pro North America on my Android smartphone (also available for IOS). While $15 may seem like a lot of money to pay when many apps are free, the extensive database (940 bird species) which is always at your finger tips makes the cost worthwhile. In addition, to the app’s many other features which help in bird identification, the use of recorded bird songs in the field may be the difference between only hearing and seeing birds close up.
Over the past few days, I have used iBird Pro to attract Indigo Buntings, Catbirds and Wilson’s Snipes out of heavy growth to check out a singing bird they hear (i.e. me). If you hide yourself effectively, and remain motionless, good photographic opportunities often make themselves available. Actually, yesterday in the case of the Wilson’s Snipe, hearing the sounds from my app actually helped me make my initial positive ID.
Do you have your own Star-Trek Birding Universal Translator Device?! In the instance of iBird Pro I can even select a recording which is often from my own region. Thus, for the Indigo Bunting I used an Iowa song, not some bird from down south! With the Wilson’s Snipe the recording was actually of a Minnesota bird.
iBird Pro Main Menu – 940 Bird Species
iBird Pro Search
iBird Pro Indigo Bunting Main Screen
iBird Pro Indigo Bunting Sounds
Indigo Bunting “called in” this morning
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Gray Catbird “called in” this morning
Not the usual suspects!
After days of fog, rain and wind, the forecast seemed to indicate that sun would arrive in northern Minnesota. With faith in the weatherman, I drove north from Duluth at 5:30 am under cloudy skies and lingering fog. My goal was the Pagami Creed Wildfire burn area, which is a bit north of Isabella, Minnesota. One uses Tomahawk Road, an 18 mile long dirt logging road (detailed directions: see last December’s post), to enter the wilderness. While some folks may regard forests fires as a blight on the beauty of the outdoors, without these burns our forests would not regenerate and become more hospitable to all kinds of wildlife. I know from experience that Black Backed Woodpeckers love burned out areas, but today not a woodpecker was to be found near Isabella Lake. Even better, the weather forecast had been correct. When I approached the forest fire area the morning clouds burned off and I was left with crystal blue skies!
Upon nearing the Isabella River I struck pay dirt in terms of birds! A strange bird was crying out … at least for me. Using my bird app on my smartphone, I quickly discovered I was hearing a Wilson’s Snipe. One very nice think about bird apps is they have recorded sounds of most birds. Once I determined I was hearing a Wilson’s Snipe, I found an area with several calling and used my app to sing along (iBird Pro). Better yet, I did not even have an accent! iBird Pro North America even tells one where the bird recording was taken. In my case, I was projecting a Wilson’s Snipe recorded in Minnesota. No southern accent for me! After 20 minutes I managed to pull the snipes in closer and enjoyed a nice photography session. The snipes seemed to like the burned out wood piles just across the Isabella River bridge.
The area was teeming with warblers and other birds, but they were not my focus. However, on the way back to hwy #1 while in the mature pine forest area (not the burned out zone), I stumbled across an evening grosbeak couple!
Thus, while normally I hope to see black backed woodpeckers and spruce grouse, even though I was shut out on those birds, it was a rewarding morning!
Wilson’s Snipe Singing
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Wilson’s Snipe Perched on a Burned Out Log
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Wilson’s Snipe Photographs
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Evening Grosbeak (male)
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Cedar Waxwing
