Time was a scarce commodity today, and therefore I decided to work with my “backyard birds”. Thankfully, given I live on the edge of a forest across from Amity Creek, there is plenty of opportunity to photograph “local” birds.
Hairy Woodpecker
Pastor Greg and I drove north of Two Harbors, Minnesota to enjoy the deep forest. Our wet, foggy weather broke last night. Four new inches of snow fell in the Northwoods, and encrusted all the pines and deciduous trees.
Pine Grosbeaks near Sand River in the Superior National Forest – two males get some gravel for their gizzard while a female eats a pine seed lunch
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Red-Bellied Woodpecker upon returning home
An Alberta Clipper roared down to northern Minnesota and delivered a burst of snow overnight. Given the temperature was near freezing, the pines and aspen were encrusted with a beautiful coat of white. The scenery demanded a hike into the forest. However, what I thought was pretty now has made food much harder to find for our winter bird population. Upon returning home from my hike, I discovered a huge number of purple finches and goldfinches in the feeder … and also for the rest of the day.
The first photo is of a small stream which is a tributary to the larger Knife River. The location is the north shore of Lake Superior.
My Morning Hike
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Ma and Pa Purple Finch
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American Goldfinch
