Monthly Archives: April 2014

Day 098: Ducks of the US Coast Guard!

Year 1,

What should one do on an ugly last day of April? Surf on Lake Superior!

The last three days have seen winds out of the northeast in excess of 40 mph. This morning the wind velocity finally dipped, but the wave’s swells at Stoney Point are excellent for surfing. Although I was working the shore photographing ducks, I enjoyed taking some time out from my fine feathered friends to enjoy some humans!

Conditions at the time of the photographs were:

  • Water temperature: 34F
  • Air temperature: 39F
  • Weather: sleet / freezing rain

Since this blog is focused upon my bird photography project, I’ve obviously includes my bird photos for today which I took closer to Duluth where the US Coast Guard was helping a convoy of seven freighters that were stuck in the pack ice. (note: Stoney Point is about 5 miles up the shore from where ice has socked in the Duluth end of Lake Superior socked.) The photograph of the waves breaking against the shore at Stoney Point was taken this past Sunday morning when the winds started to howl. All other pictures are from this morning.

Stoney Point Surfing
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Stoney Point Video

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Horned Grebe (bird of the day!)
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Ducks and the US Coast Guard rescue a ship stuck in the pack ice
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Courtship of the Red-Breasted Merganser (and a bored common merganser)

  • The hen dips her head and squacks
  • The drake returns the display
  • The new happy couple!

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Day 098: Tweety Bird Photo Addendum!

Year 1

In addition to my great time photographing ducks and the US Coast Guard earlier today (see prior post), the northern migration is really starting to get busy. Here are some visitors who stopped by my yard today!

White-Throated Sparrow
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Song Sparrow
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Goldfinch
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Brown Creeper (would not hold still for his photograph!)
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Day 097: Red-Breasted Merganser on Ice Photo

Year 1

I worked hard for this photograph. There were 40 mph winds, clouds, light drizzle, ice and gray reflecting water which made for horrible photography light conditions on the shores of Lake Superior. However, a red-breasted merganser is a beautiful duck.

I finally found this guy resting which allowed me to:

  • Hide behind some huge boulders to somewhat protect me from the wind and thereby enable hold the camera steadier
  • Allowed me to move behind a boulder down on the shore while the merganser was submerged so as not to spook him
  • Enabled me to take three pictures to combine via HDR and thereby help me handle all the shades of white, gray and bring out the merganser’s eye

I hope you agree this is a pretty bird in a beautiful frozen environment.

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