Oct. 16, 2016 - North Shore - Migrating Birds
Read MoreDuring our fall trip to the North Shore, I saw several species of migrating birds. This Horned Lark was photographed at Taconite Harbor. Horned Larks are found year-round over most of the United States. Some of them go to the northern parts of Canada to nest in the summer. They are strictly open-field birds, however, so they don’t nest in northeastern Minnesota where it is mostly wooded. Therefore, when I see them along the North Shore, I can be pretty sure they are migrating.
American Pipits are a third species that often migrates with the Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs. They breed on the far northern reaches of the Arctic Tundra and also on the highest, treeless tops of the Rocky Mountains. They migrate to the southern United States and Mexico for the winter. Pipits, Longspurs, and Horned Larks are all small birds, 6¼ to 7¼ inches long. This photo was also taken at Taconite Harbor.
At the Grand Marais Harbor I found several migrating shorebirds. Sanderlings nest in a limited area in far northern Canada. But in winter, they are found along the east, west, and Gulf coasts of the United States. Sanderlings are small shorebirds, only 8 inches long. This bird still has some of its darker breeding plumage feathers. Click on this link to see them in their tan winter plumage. It helps them blend in with the dry beach sand. http://www.earlorfphotos.com/Birds/Birds-ST/Sanderlings/
There was also a Ruddy Turnstone at the Grand Marais Harbor. Like the Sanderling, it nests in the far north and spends winters along our coasts. It’s a little bigger than a Sanderling; about 9½ inches long. This bird is already in winter plumage. Click on this link to see its colorful harlequin summer plumage. http://www.earlorfphotos.com/Birds/Birds-ST/Turnstones/i-zzSjXVd/A
Here’s a close-up with a better look at the food item. I don’t know what it is but if you do, please leave a comment below identifying it for us.
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