I headed up there on a Friday morning and had a good day of birding. The place is really special. Where else would I see a northern harrier up close? The northern harrier’s former name (in my old Peterson guide) of "marsh hawk" seems more appropriate.
When this pictured one was displayed to visitors after being banded and before being adopted and released a "plant" in the crowd shouted, "Does it have a facial disc?" Yes, sir, it does. The naturalist explained that the bird courses low over marshes and hunts by sound as well as sight.
In a related note I was astonished when I looked up close at an owl skull and was told how its striking asymmetry allows it to better locate prey because of the different sound reaching each ear and the minute calculations its brain performs to interpret that differential.
I’m not sure whether the northern harrier has an asymmetrical skull but it is certainly an adept hunter.
The next day was foggy and few birds were migrating. But I did see some majestic-looking sandhill cranes flying overhead and explored the trails owned by the organization.
Residents of Duluth are very lucky to live in such a beautiful city, even if it does have some faded glory about it.
pseudoisaac 