Tag Archives: MN North: Forest Hill Cemetery

Northern Visitors Passing Through

Year 9,

Most birds migrate south in flocks, but the Solitary Sandpiper (Cornell link) which nests in northern Canada fits its name very well. I have never seen one of the birds with another of its species. This morning was no exception. One Solitary Sandpiper was feeding at the tiny mud flats Forest Hill Cemetery creek’s inflow. What is amazing is … given this little mud flat is extremely small, it is dumbfounding how every fall this tiny spot is a migration magnet. I always see a wealth of different bird species at this location.

In addition, my local Red-Bellied Woodpeckers must have raised a second batch of youngsters this summer. Dad was busy showing junior the ropes yesterday afternoon.

Feeding Time at the Cemetery!

Year 9

Now is the time to visit your local cemetery if it has a small pond. Belted Kingfishers (and other water birds) are busy feeding their young, and given these birds are used to humans … both above and below ground, good views are often provided. These two pictures of Mom are indicative that the young are back in the nest hole, and both parents are now required to feed growing chicks. In a week or two the youngsters will make their grand appearance and demonstrate lousy fishing technique! In Duluth, my “go to” spot if Forest Hill Cemetery.

On the home front each day brings another woodpecker lesson. There are three prime drumming trees in my yard, and this juvenile male Yellow-Belled Sapsucker was being taught the finer art of drumming (a parent was about six feet above the juvie)

And a short video of Mom Kingfisher (video link for email subscribers)

Frankly Scarlet, I Don’t Give a #!*#

Year 9,

As they say in life, it’s good to be skilled, but it’s better to be lucky!

I scored a Scarlet Tanager near Hartley Nature Center early this morning! It often let me stand only a few feet away. I took a couple hundred pics (have only processed a few)!! Believe it or not I was up by the exit to Woodland Avenue ready to take a right turn when I spotted the bird standing on the curb. I illegally parked and blocked the exit from the park for over ten minutes, but not a single car came by. It is good to bird early in the morning when the rest of the world is at rest. LOL

Hartley Park Exit Scarlet Tanager (video link for email subscribers)

I did next swing through Forest Hill Cemetery where a bug hatch by the second pond resulted in large numbers of warblers, including this Cape May Warbler.

A short update on the owls … all is fine. The youngest owlet took its first flight last night. Thus, the nest is now empty. As the owls are now flying around, visiting involves more effort, but I had fun watching the family at 6 am this morning. Post coming soon.