Most folks bird Hartley Park by parking at the Nature Center Parking Lot, and then walking the trails that lead way from the Center towards the pond, wetlands, and creek, but do you bird the other “Hartley Park?” Two years ago the park and the City of Duluth created storm runoff ponds which you may see “off to the right” as you drive down into the park. Two years have now been enough time for the ponds to develop … with wetlands and mud / grass flats. In addition, the park and city have cleared the underbrush and and overgrown small trees across Woodland Avenue from “park central”. The remaining white pines and deciduous trees are perfect hunting and nesting platforms for raptors. Take a walk in this area and note all the snags and cavities found within this area.
Found immediately below is a Strava record of this morning’s walk. I park on the first street past Hartley Park (Northfield Street) … directly across from the Woodland playing fields. The route hiked starts on a trail which is signed directly across from the Northfield / Woodland Avenue Intersection. My right turn during the hike was onto the well marked Duluth Traverse Trail which descends down to the Woodland Avenue immediately next to the park entrance road. In total I only walked 7/10 of mile with 80 feet of elevation change … as measured by STRAVA. Yesterday’s Barred Owl was hunting at 9:00 am in the Snag area, and finally flew into the old growth area where I assume it has a nest. There is no other reason for a Barred Owl to be hunting at 9:00 am other than hungry owlets.
It would be a longer hike to walk the ponds, but this morning’s drizzle did not encourage me to add that onto my walk!
