Dec.6, 2020 - Metro Area Birds

When we are at our apartment in the St. Paul, MN, suburbs, I like to get out and photograph some of the local birds. The lakes are now frozen over, but two weeks ago they were still open. There were many Ring-billed Gulls at Vadnais Lake.

GullRingbilledflightLakeVadnaisRamseyCounty20201120

I happened to be at the right spot to see this gull catch a fish. I think it’s a Sunfish.

GullRingbilledwithfishLakeVadnaisRamseyCounty20201120

Sucker Lake is just north of Vadnais Lake. Very few birds were there, but this female Mallard was swimming with the fall colors reflecting off the lake.

MallardfemaleSuckerLakeVadnaisHeights20201120

Her male companion was in a spot with an especially colorful background.

MallardmaleSuckerLakeVadnaisHeights20201120

This female House Sparrow was photographed in a crab apple tree right by our apartment building. House Sparrows are a non-native species but still very common in many metro areas. I kept this photo because I realized that I don’t have many House Sparrow photos. We don’t have them at our lake home, and they are very rare in the Florida panhandle where we go for the winter.

SparrowHousefemaleWaverlyGardensNorthOaks20201119

Another non-native species is the European Starling. I know they are not popular, but just look at the beautiful plumage on this bird.

StarlingEuropeanCentralParkRoseville20201117

I never pass up a chance to get a flight shot of a Bald Eagle. This was taken at Centerville Lake in Lino Lakes.

EagleBaldflightCentervilleLakeLinoAnokaCounty20201129