Two days ago I was birding near a favorite spt, an old apple farm which is a bit inland from Lake Superior. The Bald Eagle pictured here was hunting at the farm until some toddlers came out to play. Uff dah! Little kids are scary! The sequence duration of photographs is no more than a two seconds.
Small Humans Spotted
Raise Wings … Rotate into the Wind
Take-Off
Final Close of of the Bald Eagle
Note: Large birds will almost always take-off into the wind.
Unlike last winter, there is a bumper crops of mountain ash berries, pygmy crab apples and ash tree seeds. Pine Grosbeaks are around the Northland in significant numbers, but not visiting feeders much due to all the natural food. I find the best time of day to find lots of Pine Grosbeaks is around “9 ish” in the morning. Both the Grosbeaks and Common Redpolls will “grit up”, and then you can inspect what is on the menu that morning. I saw these birds two mornings ago.
Pine Grosbeak Eating Ash Seeds
Bohemian Waxwings on Nichols Lake Road
Ruffed Grouse
Pine Grosbeak Eating Ash Seeds (video link for email subscribers)
Last night was a balmy 8F, and I am not being facetious! The key weather element was the fact the wind was dead calm, and when one is standing completely in the wide open spaces of the harbor, this is what makes a difference. Thus, I decided heading down after dark to the Duluth Harbor for a photographic expedition that would include both ice and ships was just the ticket. I had great time.
Duluth High Bridge (Blatnik Bridge) & Interstate Bridge (circa 1890)
Saltie Freighter / Ship Retko at the Port Terminal