Blue Ridge Birds

I went to a conference in Asheville, NC and took lots of pictures of course.

From the third floor of the hotel with my phone

Rain over the Blue Ridge Mountains

Clear skies and blue haze

Partly cloudy with awesome blue skies.

I stepped out of the hotel the first morning and was greeted with song! So I went back in and grabbed my camera.

Gray Catbird 

This Northern Mockingbird was at the tip top of a 60-ft tree in bloom, singing his heart out. 

Black-capped Chickadee

A pair of Tufted Titmice were busy collecting materials for nesting

 

The mockingbird moved down to a much easier height to shoot

 On the University of North Carolina-Asheville campus, everything was in bloom and buzzing.

Carolina Wren

House Finch 

Song Sparrow 

The next few days were windy and the birds were scarce.  On a flight of my own, I got a glimpse of the Blue Ridge Mountains at sunrise

Blue Ridge sunrise from the plane with my phone

Eagles on Caribou Lake Rd

The spring melt uncovered a roadkill deer and the ravens and bald eagles have been on clean up duty.

The following were grabbed with my phone:

Collect all four!

Juveniles

A fresh deer carcass often brings in a few bald eagles.  Typically around this particular area are two adults and a juvenile.  Today it was the a fore mentioned juvenile and maybe a younger brother?

3rd year juvenile bald eagle

4th year juvenile bald eagle

Arctic Ivory

An Ivory Gull has been visiting Canal Park in Duluth the past few days and has the local birders excited.  Also a not-so-local fellow from Germany.  This bird is not often seen south of its high Arctic home.

The bird had been seen the two previous days so I decided to go look myself.  I arrived in Canal Park around 9am and the bird was easy spot as there was a crowd gathered to watch and photo.  Lured with offerings of perch, salmon, and tuna, the gull remained in close proximity to its viewers.  Amusingly, it moved close enough a few photographers with long, large lenses had to back up to stay in focus.

    

Bluebird morning

I suspected the bluebirds I saw earlier were locals, so I have kept an eye open at the same location.  I spotted one of the bluebirds this morning sitting on a fence and looking for lunch.  Under this morning's clouds I needed to get closer for a good shot.  I snuck up and I got a number of pics in before he dove to the ground, grabbed a worm, and flew off.

Long tale, short tale, no tail

I saw lots of small birds today driving home.  Seemed to all be white-throated sparrows and yellow-rumped warblers. Found a few flowers still blooming this third week of September.  Oh, and squirrel with no tail!

White-throated sparrow

Thistle

Butter and Eggs

 No tail squirrel

The Bluebird Fiasco

First Bluebird I have seen in Minnesota!  I was driving on Howard Gnesen past the cemetery this late afternoon and notice something different about the two birds sitting on the fence.  I turned around and upon re-approach they flitted into the cemetery flashing their colors.  Bluebirds?!  I scrambled for my camera which had on the wrong lens.  I swapped lenses and pulled up to shoot...NO CARD! I left it in my computer!  I fumbled around for the backup card in my camera bag, slide it in, and get a few quick shots before they take off over the headstones.  Then I notice my ISO is set at a grainy 3200 from my previous shoot.  Not on my game today, but I still got the pics.

Eastern bluebird, feathers ruffled in the wind.

Fall migrations have started

A little variety for my drive to work today.  A Broad-winged hawk in Duluth near Homecroft School.

Spotted and Potted

I frequently see this male Northern Flicker, but he is always on the move.  This morning he was more interested in the grubs he was after and paused enough times for me to get a pic.

Early in the evening, a male Pileated woodpecker visited by suet block.  Given the warm temperatures lately, the suet was quite soft and he got it all over his bill.  He proceeded to shake his head and scratch his bill with his feet in effort to clean up.

Male Northern Flicker 

Male Pileated Woodpecker

Knife River Eagle

Driving back from Two Harbors on Hwy 61 near the Knife River, I spied something very large in a tree being harassed by a crow.  Must be a bird of prey!  Turns out it was bald eagle. I swung the car around and took a few pics before he decided to take off.