Tag Archives: MN North: Forest Hill Cemetery

Windy City Ruddy Duck

Year 9,

I am down in the western suburbs of Chicago giving talks on two successive nights to local birding organizations. I certainly never expected to see a lifer and capture a nice photograph during my visit, but such was the case while walking a footbridge across the Fox River this morning. Amazingly the weather was 70F and sunny. Back home the first winter storm of the season is raging. I had been complaining about the slow pace of the late migration. The storm at home should change that situation.

Regardless, this morning’s Ruddy Duck

And a Ring-Necked Duck from back in Duluth which I saw on Sunday.

Any attendees looking for the outline of my presentation along with all its links, browse here.

Forest Hill Friendly

Year 9, ,

The last migration push is on hold, and will be until these strong winds out of the south change to out of the north. In the meantime, birds in the area tend to stick around, and there are very few new arrivals. One easy location for me to check is the Forest Hill Cemetery. There is a year round resident Pileated Woodpecker which is enjoying all the very old trees in the cemetery.

One of the other common species migrating through the Duluth area right now are American Crows (some stay year round). This individual along with a migrating Canada Goose felt it was bathtime.

Finally, if you have time get out in the Boreal Forest this weekend. The second set of peak colors is upon us … when Tamarack Pine Tree needles are golden. A nice drive is going up Lake County #2 to Stony River Forest Road. My buddy, Greg, and I made that drive yesterday morning and loved the frosted colors. We did find one Red-Tailed Hawk.

This image was taken near Grand Portage right on the border with Canada. Molly and I were up there last Saturday.

Birds on Ice!

Year 9

Nope … not a new act for the Ice Capades. In fact, October 20th is 3 to 4 weeks too early for my local ponds and streams to be icing over, but three successive days with temperatures in the low to mid 20’s before sunrise have made ice appear. At 66 years old, this is a new experience for me.

Yesterday afternoon I captured on camera a Rusty Blackbird practicing its compulsory figures. Can’t wait to see its free form skate.

Meanwhile elsewhere on the pond a female had found an ice free mud flat.