Tag Archives: MN North: French River

Birding In a World of White

Year 11,

The last two mornings I have visited and hiked in the Greenwood Forest Fire Burn Area (and environs). Yesterday I saw nothing except white, but no birds or mammals. Today was the exact opposite, and wildlife was asking to be captured by my camera!

The most surprising event of the day was when a Red Fox Ran in front of me, but then came back to check me out. Color “red” curious. The fox walked within 8 feet of me, and looked me over. I guess I was boring because after a few moments it sauntered away (not run). I love the fact that I live near enough deep wilderness that mammals and birds are sometimes not scared of me.

And the fox decides to leave the boring human!

<Flash><We interrupt this post for an owl walk!> It is 7:15 pm and about 2.5 hours after sunset. My owls are hooting! (rather common this time of year). I have watched my local Great Horned Owls raise their families for five years … this will be the sixth. The earliest they have ever nested in February 8th. The latest was almost two months later in early April. My belief is the the severity of the winter dictates the nesting date. This winter is so mild I expect nesting to begin early, and maybe mild temperatures will mean triplets.

<Back to the post at 7:40 pm … a 25 minute hike in the dark>

Before I met Mr. Fox, I found this Black-Backed Woodpecker. I never would have found the woodpecker if I had not stopped to listen. My feet crunching on the snow during my hike drowned out the sounds of the woodpeckers. However occasionally I stop to listen, and this male bird was only 10 yards away from me, but in deep cover.

Moving on from the woodpecker pair (yes, I marked the territory of a pair for early this visiting summer), I found this Snowshoe Hare.

I love the “hop sequence of images!”

Finally, I said I was Birding in a World of White. The last two days have seen frozen fog flocked on all the trees. It’s gorgeous!

This definitely fits my January 10th Anniversary Hashtag theme of #365Birds01White

56,038 Blue Jays Can’t Be Wrong!

Year 8,

Last year on September 22nd I wrote a post titled, 48,056 Blue Jays Can’t Be Wrong! This was the official count from Hawk Ridge, which is near my house. In fact, it was a record year for jays. Well, 2021 has now outdone 2020. The count as of this morning, September 26th is 56,038. If you like the color blue, you should be happy. It is a Blue Jay Bonanza.

Even though my yard has Blue Jays present all the time, I went birding yesterday afternoon to find Blue Jays (I know, sounds stupid). Not too surprisingly I was successful. My two stops were Stoney Point (a location that sticks out into Lake Superior near Knife River, Minnesota … a good migration stop) and the new public feeders at my church, French River Lutheran Church.

These first three images are taken at a small patch of sunflowers I found near the intersection of Alseth and Stoney Point Drive.

A Close-Up

Student Body

A Red-Breasted Nuthatch insisted on having its photograph taken. The bird reminded me of question I was asked by a young child while I was doing a public bird book reading at the library … “Why do nuthatches walk upside down?” I did not know the answer, but you can “bet your sweet bippy” I learned that fact immediately. The answer is by walking upside down on the trunk of a tree, nuthatches gain a perspective of finding bugs not seen by other birds. Very intelligent!

Next Birding Seminar: Sunday Evening, November 3rd

Background

Snowy Owls and More … Birding the Northland this Winter! (free talk)

Ever wanted to view a Snowy Owl at close quarters in the Port Cities? Or watch a Great Gray Owl hunting on the Northshore?  Or see colorful winter finches and waxwings? If you answered yes to any of these questions, come to French River Lutheran Church on Sunday evening, November 3rd at 6:30 PM. Rich Hoeg, a volunteer naturalist at the Sax-Zim Bog winter birding wilderness 40 miles NW of Duluth will give a free birding talk on finding our feathered friends in the Northland this winter. With Q &A the talk will be 60 minutes in length.

There is no fee or advance registration to attend this event. Just show up! Light refreshments will be served.

Note: French River Lutheran Church is located between the Two Harbors Expressway and Scenic 61 on Ryan Road, which is two miles past McQuade Harbor coming from Duluth.