Day 169: Attack of the Kingbirds at the Heron Rookery

Year 1

My goal today was to hike into the forest and through a swamp to a great blue heron rookery. I have wanted to visit this rookery again, but the bugs have been horrible and have forced me to give up the hike multiple times. However, arriving around 8 am this morning I limited the number of mosquitoes and flies, and survived the hike w/o too many hundreds of bites. It was well worth the effort. The surprise was that in addition to the great blue herons I was privileged to watch to eastern kingbirds attack a mother osprey on her nest. This attack surprised me. I expected blackbirds or jays to attack the osprey, but not kingbirds.

Hiking into the Rookery
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The path was very wet, perfect for wild purple irises
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The Great Blue Herons at the Rookery
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Attack of the Eastern Kingbirds on the Osprey
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Day 167 to 168: Duluth Waterfront Days

Year 1, ,

Had limited time for birding because my Dad was in the hospital for an operation (all went fine). I did briefly get out early in the morning and later in the evening along the Lake Superior and St. Louis River waterfront that forms the Duluth harbor. The water did not let me down as a good place to get good quick bird photos.

Purple Lupines at Sunrise over Lake Superior
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Merganser in the Morning
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White-Breasted Nuthatch inspecting a pine tree cavity
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Red-Winged Blackbird on the St. Louis River
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Mourning Dove “literally” on the Western Waterfront Trail
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Day 166: Best Rides? Loons or Mergansers?

Year 1

Inquiring chicks want to know!!! It’s that time of year when the northern lakes become full of small fluffy hitchhikers. Be very wary of these cute interlopers! The common merganser photos were taken at the mouth of the Lester River shortly after dawn this morning. The loon photo is from two days ago on an inland northern Minnesota lake. (more loon chick photos).

Requesting permission to come aboard, Madam? Permission granted!
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There goes the neighborhood!
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Addendum: Least Sandpipers: These sandpipers should be nesting up near the Canadian Arctic right now. Instead they are enjoying Duluth’s cold Summer of 2014!
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