Tag Archives: MN North: Canosia Wildlife Area

Tall Birds During a Time of Plenty

Year 12,

I have been birding the Canosia Wildlife Preserve and South Bog over the past few days. While I had hoped to find just fledged Northern Harriers, the birds that have appeared have been the “Tall Ones”! This Great Blue Heron likes to hang out on the beaver mound in the small lake on West Lizmore near the rookery. I have seen it two days in a row, and watched it for almost an hour each day.

Another fun haunt of mine is the Culver, Minnesota area, which I call the “south bog”. There is a nice mix of bog, boreal forest and farms, and it is closer to my home in Duluth than Sax-Zim. Here are three GSP Google Maps links:

  1. Where I turn off Highway #7 (Burnett Road intersection)
  2. The Culver Volunteer Volunteer Fire Department (in the middle of my birding drive)
  3. Where I turn around (Brookston Way / Eklund Way intersection)

Map of Birding Area (press or click upon to maximize)

Most of this birding drive is along dirt roads. I LOVE the farm at the end of my drive (where I turn around. This Sandhill Crane was standing on a hay mound at the farm. I also saw a Broad-Winged Hawk catch a snake at the Artichoke River (GPS Link).

Canosia Osprey Fly-By and Mating

Year 12

Yesterday morning was special for many reasons. First the air warmed in the spring sunshine, and the winds were calm. Two different osprey couples took advantage of the nice weather. Rather than add lots of text, just enjoy the sequence of images showing why when you press the shutter down MAKE certain you always utilize your “automatic high speed shutter release mode”. Keep your shutter pressed until you are 100% convinced the action is complete. I took over 90 photographs of these two osprey events, neither of which lasted more than ten seconds. My Sony A6300 is able to take 11 frames per second.

For the mating sequence, I had only arrived seconds earlier, but once I realized what was happening I whipped up my camera and starting taking non-stop photos. Thankfully my previous camera setting was optimized for extremely fast shutter speeds.

Steam Shovel Sam and Sally Osprey Fly-By

Lismore Road Osprey Mating

Mating is Over … the Male comes down to land

Within moments the female flies to another tree … rests … and then goes fishing

Birding Hike with Rich to the Canosia Great Blue Heron Rookery

Year 12

This coming Saturday morning, April 26th at 8:00 am sharp, I will lead a birding hike to the Canosia Wildlife Reserve Great Blue Heron Rookery. You MUST send me an email if you want to join us. I will leave the trailhead promptly at 8 am.

Aside from wearing proper clothes to the temperature you should have water proof shoes or boots, and if balance is a concern … a walking stick or ski pole. Although the hike is short (only 1/2 mile to the rookery and basically flat), you will go off trail into a recently logged area which has a huge amount of logs to step over … thus the pole.

It is extremely likely you will see a mated pair of Osprey, and hear (perhaps see) lots of Wilson Snipe. I will cancel if the weather forecast turns horrible, but Saturday looks good right now.

My email address is RichardHoeg {at} GMail.com

The GPS coordinates for the trailhead may be found on my Mn Birding Locations page. The West Lismore Trailhead location at Canosia. When parking, no NOT block the DNR trailhead gate.

I decided to lead this hike as lots of people have been asking for directions (happy to give). Obviously there is no cost, nor will any tips be accepted. The only requirement is that you enjoy the experience!