Powderhorn Bird Watch

The yard highlight of the month (of September) was Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. It was a short, but exciting highlight. I saw one on the 10th for literally a few seconds, and the gardener of the house saw one on the 17th for a few seconds. I quickly got out the hummingbird feeders, but as far as we know those few seconds were it for hummingbirds in the yard.

A short visit by a Mourning Dove and an albino English Sparrow were the only other unusual sightings for the month, but the regular yard birds, many flowers, lots of Monarch butterflies and generally very nice weather made the yard a very pleasant place. On the 9th, I saw Monarchs mating, a first for me.

New visitors to the park for the season included a Pied-billed Grebe, an Eastern Phoebe and Yellow-rumped Warblers, all birds that also pass through in the Spring. Though bird sightings still seem scarce in the park, there are lots of people sightings with cross-country runners, football players and soccer players of all ages and sizes, along with the usual (or in this neighborhood, not so usual) park walkers and, of course, dogs of all ages, types and sizes. There was even a fly-fisherman one evening. This was not a fly that was fishing, but a man that was using fly-fishing techniques.

Canada Geese, I believe the resident pair and their brood, have returned for fall along with Ring-billed Gulls.

Around the metro area, I see many Canada Geese flying and feeding. I have also seen lots of Northern Flickers, but none in Powderhorn. I even saw three American White Pelicans flying over St. Paul.

I had one really productive (from a bird-viewing standpoint) day at the Old Cedar Avenue bridge area, early in the month that included songbirds, shore birds, water birds, raptors and lots of hummingbirds. As I have probably said before, we should somehow annex that area into Powderhorn.

Thanks to all the generous and caring (as usual) Powderhorn people that did things to help hurricane victims. Nice people on our block held a benefit garage sale that was a success.

We, of course, are very fortunate that we had nice weather in September. We will probably never have to worry about hurricanes here but the storm that hit various areas north of Powderhorn on September 21 was very serious. I was out in a lot of it and the damage was extensive to many natural and residential areas.

The hurricanes are sending some unusual birds to the Lake Superior and Duluth area. They often get a few sea birds in the fall but this year they are getting a lot more than usual and I think this will continue for a while.

Back to Powderhorn. I went out with an ace Southside Pride photographer on World Naked Gardening Day (September 10) and might put together some photo essays for the slow birding winter months.

Comments and observations are always welcome. Send them to me, in care of the Southside Pride. Thank you.