Misc Birds

 Green heron hunting - and preening!

 Blackburnian warbler.

Cedar waxwing. 

Pensive Cooper's hawk.

BWCA Merlin

Spent the weekend with friends at a cabin near Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and found a merlin happily noshing on something feathered.

More SD birds

 American avocet were moving through SD in groups not long ago.  You can see a few are already starting to molt in their winter plumage.

 

 

Common nighthawk - resting.

Upland sandpiper

Upland sandpiper being chased by cliff swallows!

Upland sandpiper

White faced ibis

Northern Harrier

Look at this fantastic male harrier, molting from juvenile/first year plumage to his second year.  The brown-to-grey is pretty clear as it is coming in, with tail, flight feathers, etc.

Tough Bird

Had to get some outside help on IDing this bird - turned out to be a dark-morph Swainson's hawk.

Western grebes

An amazing amount of western grebes in SD and obviously some did breed in the area.  Several family groups at a local area of water.  Check out the series where an adult has caught something in the water.  Looks like a mudpuppy.

Swaison's Hawks

Swainson's hawks are pretty common in SD this time of year. 

Getting yelled at here!