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!

Feathered feeders

A feeder I frequently take pictures at has been empty most of the winter due to a pine squirrel.  Feeding the squirrel is not the problem, just the damage done by the squirrel in the proximity of the feeders.  Recently the feeders were filled and the chickadees immediately returned.  As did the squirrel.  Within a few days I heard the distinct nuthatch call.  I waited patiently and watched.  Soon a red-breasted nuthatch zoomed in to a perch, paused, jumped to the feeder, grabbed a sunflower seed, and flew off.  This sequence repeated over and over, affording a window of less than one second each time to snap a photo.  The pic could be better but the morning light was not strong yet.  The chickadees were more compliant.

Red-breasted nuthatch

Black-capped Chickadee

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

Ducks in the Park

Lots of ducks chillin' in Canal park

Shots for the water; ducks for bling.

Ya don't Thayer

In addition to the Ivory Gull, another Arctic visitor in Canal Park was a Thayer's Gull.

    

    

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.