October 19, 2008 - More Birds From The North Shore

Taconite Harbor is one of my favorite places along the North Shore to photograph birds. I seem to have good luck finding birds there and getting close enough to get good photos. On one of my visits to Taconite Harbor this year I pulled into the gravel parking lot and got out to set up my camera equipment. A group of Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs landed about 30 feet from me and started foraging in the grass growing up in the parking lot. I couldn’t believe my luck; they were so close and not paying any attention to me. The birds were migrating south for the winter and were concentrating on bulking up for the long trip. This is one of the Horned Larks and you can see the tiny seed in its mouth. It takes a lot of these little seeds to fill up a bird!

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I crouched down near my car and just waited while the Larks and Longspurs slowly made their way toward me. I concentrated on not making any quick motions while they concentrated on eating. They walked almost up to me; some came within about 5 feet, too close for my camera to focus. This is a photo of a Lapland Longspur. Both the Longspurs and Larks nest in the far northern parts of Canada and spend the winter throughout most of the United States. They are often found together in migrating flocks.

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You can often find ducks in the harbor at Grand Marais. This is a female Common Merganser. The crisp, distinct line between the tan head and the white neck is a good field mark to distinguish her from the female Red-breasted Merganser. Both Merganser species have a thin red bill that is serrated to help them grasp the small fish on which they feed. If you ever have a “bad hair” day, just think about this bird. She has one every day!

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The Gray Jay is a symbol of the northern boreal forests. I found several of them as I traveled up the Arrowhead Trail which starts near Hovland, Minnesota. Gray Jays are very inquisitive and often come right into a campsite. They have been known to steal food and small objects.

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The American Pipit is another bird that is migrating south at this time of the year. They are usually found in flocks, foraging on grass seeds much like the Larks and Longspurs. Their pale tan plumage makes them hard to see in the grass. You often hear their high-pitched, “tinkling bell” call before you see them. They have a habit of pumping their tails as they walk along the ground. I took this photo near Finland, Minnesota.

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