Monthly Archives: April 2014

Day 096: Photo Duck Day on the Lester River!

Year 1

Today dawned cold (35F), windy (35 mph steady winds … gusts to 50 mph), with rain. In short, it would normally be a fantastic day to stay inside and keep warm! However, a year long photography project means that I had to venture outside. With a groan and some comments about the weather I said good-bye to my wife.

I know the key to finding any kind of birds today would be finding locations that shielded my feathered friends from the elements. After striking out at several locations I struck pay dirt at the mouth of the Lester River. The water rushing madly downhill and into Lake Superior had created enough open water to overpower the ice being pushed ashore by the strong NE winds. Given the ducks were not interested in flying, they let me get closer than normal. Not only were the numbers of ducks impressive in this small area, but quite a few different species were also present.

Photographing the birds was difficult because I was getting the full brunt of the wind, but I happily stayed down on the shore for well over an hour enjoying the “great weather”. You will find each of these birds included in today’s photographs.

  • Buffleheads
  • Common Mergansers
  • Goldeneyes
  • Pied-Billed Grebe
  • Red-Breasted Mergansers
  • Red-Necked Grebe
  • Seagulls

Guess it shows one should never let a little nasty weather keep one indoors!

Lester River Preening (Red-Breasted Merganser and Seagull)
096-Birds-365-Red-Breasted-Merganser-and-Gull-Preening

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Ducks Dancing (Red-Breasted Merganser and Bufflehead)
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Take Off (Bufflehead and Goldeneyes)
096-Birds-365-Bufflehead-Goldeneye-Takeoff

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Flock of Buffleheads
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Common Merganser
096-Birds-365-Common-Merganser

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Pied-Billed Grebe
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Red-Necked Grebe and crew!
096-Birds-365-Red-Necked-Grebe 096-Birds-365-Red-Necked-Grebe-and-Bufflehead

Amity: A Winter Wonderland Photographic Tour (free book)

Background, , , , ,

This past Winter has the most number of sub-zero degree days in history (fahrenheit). With Friday’s snow we are over 130 inches for the season, and have moved into the third snowiest winter in history for northern Minnesota. Thus, it’s time to publish my first book which will take you on a magical tour of this winter wonder which I call “Amity”.

Amity, will be published and available via Amazon in approximately seven days. However, I am giving away a pdf version of my book via NorthStarNerd.Org (my other web site). Here is the book’s description:

The Lake Superior wilderness of northern Minnesota is rustically beautiful. Amity invites you to explore this region’s winter wonderland through the eyes of landscape and nature photographer Rich Hoeg. The word “Amity” comes from a small stream that roars down the hill to Lake Superior near Duluth, Minnesota.

This winter I was flattered to see organizations such as Fox News and the Weather Channel pick up and use my ice cave photographs in national news articles on the Apostle Islands Sea Caves. In addition, being one of the few finalists in the Lake Superior Magazine annual photo contest was an honor.

I hope you enjoy Amity.

Here is just one photo from Amity. This photo of Split Rock Lighthouse was taken shortly before dawn on April 18, 2014. Winter is finally starting to give up here grip on the Northland. (click to view photo at full resolution)

Split-Rock-Dawn-2

Day 095: Riding the Lake Superior Wind!

Year 1

The Lake Superior forecast over the next few days includes steady winds at 30+ mph, with gusts often into the mid 40’s. Shortly after dawn this morning I photographed this seagull riding and gliding on the wind near Stoney Point. You are looking to the northeast as the last remaining clear sky escapes before the rain, sleet and snow close in upon us for the next five days.

095-Birds-365-Wind-Blown-Gull