Tag Archives: MN North: Hartley Nature Center

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.

Warbler Reprise

Year 9

I decided the warbler action at Hartley Nature Center was so fantastic yesterday, that a few hours after returning home and posting my Wowing Warblers entry on this blog, I had to go back. The little fluffballs of color did  not disappoint. In fact I would be at Hartley this morning if there did not appear to be the threat of impending rain.

Regardless, I scored species 9 and 10 of warblers for the day … once again with the small birds flitting within inches of me. Surprisingly, the species seemed to vary based upon whether I sat upstream or downstream of the culvert under the hiking path (a distance of only ten yards). Anyhow, enjoy.

The new species … Black & White Warbler | Magnolia Warbler

And more the same as in the morning …

American Redstart

Chestnut-Sided Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Wowing Warblers!

Year 9

During the northern migration, wherever you live, find small streams protected from the wind. Often you will find early bug hatches, and if you are able to find this kind of location, chances are warblers during their journey north will find same. Such was the case this morning at Hartley Nature Center in Duluth. I had warblers by the dozens flitting all around me, often landing within two feet of my face. These birds were hungry, and a human who was standing in the stream bed was not going to deter these hungry birds. From this morning.

American Redstart

Chestnut-Sided Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Mourning Warbler

Northern Parula Warbler

Wilson’s Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-Rumped Warbler