Diane and KimMarie’s Amazing Adventure of the Unexpected!

Photo Album Links

• Album One: Day One and Raptor Release


• Album Two: Hawk Ridge

Day One - Friday, September 29, 2006
We didn't really have any set plans for the day. KimMarie's request was to visit Black Dog. While we didn't get to see Nora or Mille, we did see a third year bald eagle on Black Dog Road. Diane took some wonderful pictures of "him" preening. It appeared that he may have just hunted and eaten (he looked "wet"). We then stopped by the osprey nest that is located nearby on a tower. The osprey pair didn't produce eggs, but this could be an active nest next year. After u-turning to go back down Black Dog road, we saw plenty of cormorants which filled a dead tree and even some great white egrets.

An unplanned visit to the "Norwest Bank" (aka Wells Fargo Bank) paid off. We saw one of the peregrines sitting outside the nest tray. It definitely was an adult and looker smaller so maybe it was the male. According to "What's New" on the Raptor Resource Project: Nero, a 1999 hatch from NSP Sherco, spent his sixth season at the Norwest Financial Building. Maybe it was Nero!

We next went to "Diane's" osprey platform at Hyland Park. No ospreys but we did see 2 red tailed hawks sitting side by side. Red tails in love, to quote Marie Winn. KimMarie was able to get a picture of them together before one flew off. While still at the park, Diane caught a photo of an Eastern Phoebe sitting on Peterson Style Box (hunting flying insects). We heard an Eastern Bluebird in the trees and brush, but couldn't find “him/her” perched nearby.

What can I say about the visit to the Raptor Center except...AMELIA! As Diane has already shared on the forum, we were coming out of the parking ramp when we saw four people walking slowly with a peregrine -- we both we thinking the same thing -- could it really be??? We got a good look at the bird - wings outstretched and mouth open in defiance - yes! It was Amelia coming back from one of her flight exercise sessions. Her attending vet came up to talk to us and we were fortunate to find out more about her condition, her time at the Center, and her progress.

Afterwards, one of the center's volunteers gave us a lengthy tour - we were very lucky to get such a wonderful tour of the education birds and learned a lot about them and their personal histories. She realized we knew more about raptors than most so she said she'd skip the raptor 101 tour. After our first question, she stopped the tour and ran back to get her notes on each bird. She knew we'd want details!

After all of our day’s activities we met up with Dot for dinner and to celebrate birthdays.

Day Two - Saturday, September 30, 2006 Raptor Release at Lake Rebecca
(Diane, Dot, KimMarie and Nora were there)

We made it to the park shortly before the first release. First to be released was a red tailed hawk. It was a 2005 hatch. The bird had been shot. Next release was a Cooper’s hawk which was admitted with a ulna (wrist) fracture. The final release was a red shouldered hawk. This hatch year hawk was admitted with a chest fracture. The hawk flew into the trees behind the release area and stayed there until the start of the 2nd release. Maybe all the people, from a distance, intrigued him.

There were a number of education birds to look at. Prior to the afternoon release, we saw 3 bald eagles flying over the area. Two flew very low . One of the vet interns we spoke with said he saw 4 eagles flying together. It was a great day for eagle sightings!

The afternoon release started with the release of a red tailed hawk. It had a collision with a car and had eye trauma and blood loss. Next released was Cooper’s hawk which they suspected had West Nile Virus. The final release was a broad winged hawk. The hawk had a collision with a building. Like the red shouldered hawk, this hawk decided to stop and enjoy th eview before taking off.

Before we left (Diane and Kimmarie), we took the drive and then the walk to the area where the trumpeter swans gather. Plenty of Canada geese and mallard ducks. I didn't count but there were at least 12 - 15 swans. At least 7 first years in that group.

We ended the day with THE DRIVE TO DULUTH!

Day Three - Sunday, October 1, 2006 Hawk Ridge
LOL! Spectacular, clear and sunny day for people to enjoy, but a lousy day to see migrating raptors! We were told the birds need an overcast day to push them down and north or northwest winds to push them inland. The first day the count was 239 raptors. Among the birds we saw were sharp shinned hawks, American kestrels, bald eagles, Merlins and turkey vultures. At Hawk Ridge, they catch and band neotropical migrant passerines, which is fancy talk for they band passing songbirds. They catch them in a mist nest and band them. The first to be banded was a Hermit Thrush. Then they caught and banded a black capped chickadee.

The "Star" of the day was the Merlin diving at the great horned owl decoy that was placed as a lure. It was diving and vocalizing the entire time! It was amazing to see a "small" falcon trying to take on a bird so much larger than itself. What a show!

On our way back to the Best Western (down Superior Street) we "found" the building the Duluth peregrines nested on! This would be the nest box Diane the peregrine and Nora the peregrine fledged from in 2005. After parking the car back at the motel and freshening up, we walked to the nestbox on the Greysolon Plaza Building to get a closer look at it. It still had that “new car smell” ;-) Walking back to the motel, we spotted what looked like a male peregrine between Lake Ave and 1st Ave which was only 1 ½ - 2 blocks from our motel! He flew low, about 4 or 5 ft from the ground right past us. We tried to follow him, but he was faster than us! He knows his territory and eluded our cameras. This really was a twist of fate moment - Diane didn't plan on booking at this particular Best Western, but good thing for us that she did! If we had been at the other one, we never would have found the building, box or the bird!

Day Four - Monday, October 2, 2006 Hawk Ridge
We went back to Hawk Ridge for a little over a half day before we headed back to the cities. Today some of the birds that were spotted: an osprey, a bald eagle, 3 northern harriers, 3 American kestrels, ravens, turkey vultures and a Cooper’s hawk. Recorded were 65 sharp shinned hawks. We think we saw all of them! While we were there an American Tree Sparrow was banded as well as a first year Sharp Shinned Hawk. Before we left Hawk Ridge, KimMarie spoke with a nest monitor for the Duluth/Greysolon Plaza Building box (it turned out that this was a trip of well timed and well placed coincidences!) and she said the male is known to fly low so it could have been him! (KM note: I’d like to add that it was wonderful to meet Julie! She shared some wonderful pictures of her monitoring efforts and the falcons. She was thrilled to meet “the Diane” who “her” Diane was named for and she was happy to hear that we saw one of the adults staying in the area.)

Day Five - Tuesday, October 3, 2006
From KimMarie - Farewell Minnesota! As my plane was leaving the runway I looked out the window and my last view was of the Black Dog Smokestack! What a great visit with Diane, Dot and Nora. I hope I can come back again soon!