After working midnights last night I convinced myself it might be a good idea to buzz Minnesota Point, (Duluth), to see if any birds were about. Upon reaching the soccer field at Park Point at around 8AM, I immediately noticed two BLACK BELLIED PLOVERS, two AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS, and one RED KNOT.......Okay, it was a good idea to buzz the point! There was also a man golfing on the soccer field. Well, I began my approach at the birds, they are beautiful creatures, particularly in their breeding plumage, and one of the american golden plovers was in fantastic breeding plumage. Things were going well and I was getting a great fix of shorebirds. There is little else as rewarding for me as crawling on my stomach towards some amazingly dressed shore birds, might look weird, but I love it and it's a great way to get close. Unfortunately the golfer was not impressed. I was quite aware that he continued to loft balls in my general direction, he also came close to hitting the red knot at one point. No matter, if the birds were willing to take their chances, I was willing to take mine. Finally the golfer had enough and made his way towards me, with purpose! I could sense a certain tension in the air... :) The golfer approached and asked if I realized how close he had come to hitting me with his golf shots. I in turn considered asking the golfer if he realized how close he had come to nailing one of the more endangered and drastically declining shorebird species in North America. The thing about it was this, the golfer was clearly in an agitated state, I could have taken his pulse by watching his temples throb :) He was also more muscularly endowed than I was, and he had a golf club, I had a camera.......So, I did my best to smile and look preoccupied and made some mention about looking at birds and how I had not noticed him hitting golf balls towards us :) This was clearly all he wanted to hear. He knew I was focused on the birds and had clearly not considered how dangerous it might be to cross the path of his golf ball's trajectory. He returned to golfing, I returned to birding. We were both passionate in our own endeavors, there was no right or wrong, that area is a public space, for now, until the city sells it for cash or something, but I digress! I considered explaining what a shorebird gold experience he might have had if he only put the clubs down and joined me in watching these amazing long distance migrants, but there was a divide there between golf and birding, and it clearly was not going to be gapped. I cannot say enough about the plumage of the american golden plover, sooooo beautiful!! Later on in the day I also had the extreme pleasure of meeting some well known birding legends at the point who graciously let me look their awesome optical gear at the shorebirds and an olive sided flycatcher, thanks legends! This left a great taste in my mouth after meeting......."The Golfer!". Regards, Shawn Zierman. **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222377040x1201454360/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=Jun eExcfooterNO62)
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