haven't added any entries to my blog in a while. Here is my newest entry, in case you're interested! It's about the past season at Hawk Ridge, cool tidbits & facts, and being thankful. http://naturallyavian.blogspot.com/2011/11/hawk-ridge-2011.html This afternoon I visited Summit Ledges at Hawk Ridge (Summit Ledges is one of the rocky outcrops along the northern edge of the Hawk Ridge trails). I hawkwatched there by myself to just soak up the late autumn views and simply take it easy this afternoon. If you're ever in Duluth, and need a walk through the gorgeous woods, that leads to a breathtaking view; Summit Ledges is the place to be! Below is my eBird list from this afternoon at the ridge. Mallard 1 Bald Eagle 11 Red-tailed Hawk 14 One of the fourteen RTs observed was a dark morph. Rough-legged Hawk 2 Golden Eagle 1 American Crow 2 Common Raven 1 Black-capped Chickadee 3 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Snow Bunting 2 American Tree Sparrow 1 Pine Grosbeak 1 White-winged Crossbill 2 Evening Grosbeak 3 Here are some of my shots from this afternoon. Enjoy! Evening Grosbeaks in flight (distant shots, but identifiable) http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139381182 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139381181 Golden Eagle http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139381183 Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139381185 Late-autumn view from Summit Ledges http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139381184 Throughout the past few nights, I have been hearing some impressive movements of songbirds overhead. I am new to nocturnal flight calls, but two calls that I was hearing regularly was the daytime "krip" of the Red Crossbill, and the soft, cute-toned "chew" of the Snow Bunting. Again, I'm not sure if the daytime flight calls are the same as the nocturnal calls, but both sounded right-on for the two species' daytime flight calls. Now onto the recent gull happenings up here... Close up of a Ring-billed Gull at Canal Park http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139371803 Here is that darker-marked (oddly-molting) Ring-billed Gull. I really like this one :-) http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139371805 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139371806 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139371808 There is one Herring Gull at Canal Park that has thrown me off recently. I believe this is an "American" race Herring Gull, however it's rump, although barred, was notably paler than the other nearby Herring Gulls' rumps. It has a pale head, but there have been other 1st-cycle Herring Gulls with slightly pale heads as well. I am without my gull book yet again, and going by field guides alone for nitty-gritty identification can be tricky. Comments and thoughts are welcome! Thanks for any feedback you can offer. http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139371792 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139371794 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139371796 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139371798 http://www.pbase.com/birdfedr/image/139371800 Good birding, Erik Bruhnke Duluth, MN -- *NATURALLY AVIAN* - Guided Birdwatching Trips and Bird photography www.pbase.com/birdfedr www.naturallyavian.blogspot.com birdfedr@xxxxxxxxx #################### You received this email because you are subscribed to the Wisconsin Birding Network (Wisbirdn). To UNSUBSCRIBE or SUBSCRIBE, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn To set DIGEST or VACATION modes, use the Wisbirdn web interface at: //www.freelists.org/list/wisbirdn Visit Wisbirdn ARCHIVES at: //www.freelists.org/archives/wisbirdn