Tag Archives: MN North: Forest Hill Cemetery

Bird Your Local Cemetery

Year 7

During migration, in the Duluth area one of my favorite spots is Forest Hill Cemetery. If one of your local cemetery has a pond, during migration always make a quick check. Our pond has some domestic ducks and geese which attract their wild cousins to the two ponds.

Yesterday morning I found the leading edge of the shorebird invasion from Hudson’s Bay and the Arctic. This Yellowlegs was all by itself, and I took full advantage of a low angle early morning sun to have some fun. Yes, I was close but the sun blinded the bird … albeit shorebirds normally let you get somewhat close (sit down on a beach and let them walk to you)

Greater Yellowlegs (yes … they eat minnows, not just bugs)

Question: If your reflection also catches a minnow, do you get credit for two fish?!

Reflections (dark green from pine trees … blue from the sky)

Double Your Pleasure Owling! (and other birds)

Year 7, ,

Ever wonder why it is hard to find owls? This was my view yesterday afternoon around 4 pm. My thanks to the Blue Jays which led me to the tree. At first, I only saw one Great Horned Owl. I keep wondering how long the parents will continue to help feed the youngsters. My understanding is a helping hand (or talon) will be given into the Fall. Most nights the young owls fly over to my yard, start screeching (begging) in the hopes Mom or Dad will bring them some food.

Individual Portraits

I also stopped by one of my local Osprey nests where food was also in the process of being delivered.

Even though today is July 30th, winter migration has definitely started. I found these two Great Yellowlegs enjoying some insects in a local pond. Their summer breeding range starts about 500 miles north of Duluth, and they will work their way down to the Gulf Coast of the United States and Mexico for the winter.

Let the Bird Migration Begin in Earnest!

Year 7,

Okay … migration is really starting to get going … even if the temperature was 23F at sunrise this morning. However, some of my local ponds are ice free, and one only finds Golf Course and the Forest Hill Cemetery. Both locations have ponds which ice out early, and the birds are drawn to these locations like magnets.

The cemetery has a flock of geese maintained by the staff, and birds attract birds. This morning I found a Common Merganser couple and a Wood Duck. I am able to use my car as a blind and get quite close to the waterfowl. It helps that the resident Mallard population is so used to humans that they never take alarm, which relaxes the more wild ducks.

Common Mergansers (black head is the male, rust head is the female)

Wood Duck

Next if was off to the municipal golf course near my house. This set of links has a series of five ponds which are set next to woods, meadows and wetlands. Birds avoid the big lake and use the ponds as a resting spot during migration. The course is only a mile from Lake Superior.

Bluebirds! (a very uncommon bird for my region … “washed out” blue is the female)

Bufflehead Love!

As a fyi … I have these images in higher resolution, but downgraded the photos a bit such that this web page would load a bit quicker on mobile devices.