Moonrise over the Cypriot freighter, Iryda, which is anchored off the Duluth harbor while waiting to load grain. It was cold standing out on Park Point waiting for the lunar orb to appear. Thankfully my research panned out; te moon came up in the expected location. Thus, I was able to capture this image! From the time the moon first appeared, there was less than 10 minutes to successfully take this photograph. As it was I ran 250 yards down the beach with my camera as the position of the moon shifted.
Nine Below Birding! (-23C)
When the temperature dives to -9F on November 12th (-23C), the obvious solution is to go look for birds down from the Arctic. Knowing that an incredible number of Rough-Legged Hawks fit this bill, I drove over to Sax-Zim Bog. Although these hawks spook very easily, I found two individuals which let me watch them hunt. Rough-Legged Hawks (Cornell link) are one of only two raptors (non Owls) which have feathers all the way down their legs to their talons. This adaptation to the cold helps them deal with severely cold temperatures, like this morning. (The other are Golden Eagles)
It was a challenge getting these photographs. In weather this cold, I like to get out of my car to escape the heat waves billowing forth and making getting a good focus difficult, but there is no way this kind of bird would allow me to exit the vehicle without spooking.
Rough-Legged Hawk hunting at Sax-Zim Bog. In the final image one of the hawks is flying away from me having successfully captured and killed a vole.
Hawk #1
Hawk #2
Finally, two photos of a Red-Bellied Woodpecker which visiting my yard late yesterday afternoon. It was puffed up against the cold. You can see a bit on snow in the air in the first image.
Bald Eagle at Breakfast
One more photograph from my weekend up the shore at Grand Marais. While having breakfast on Saturday morning, I noticed a dark clump … one of my technical terms … out on the harbor breakwater in the pre-dawn darkness. I figured there was a good chance that a Bald Eagle had spent the night on the rocks. I quickly finished my bowl of Life Cereal and walked over to the harbor. Hiding next to the side of a building, I inched closer waiting for some light to illuminate the scene. This was the result!
It just goes to show … some days the photographic opportunities come to me with very little effort, but then there are mornings like today. It was cold (9F) with a 20 mph wind. Given the sun made a rare appearance I worked the back roads / farms of Duluth north of my home. My hope was I might find an early season Snowy Owl migrating south along the shore (nope), or at least some Rough Legged Hawks down from the Arctic perched in the early morning sun (double nope). Oh well … it’s off to Sax-Zim Bog tomorrow morning. The weather forecast includes our first overnight lows below zero (F), sunny and light winds.