Varied Thrush (and other stories)!

Year 6,

This weekend a friend of the family was super kind and invited me over to see an extremely rare bird, a Varied Thrush. I have included the range map from Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology. This bird should not be hanging out in Duluth, Minnesota. The thrush played peek-a-boo with me at sunup, but I was thrilled to have this view! Unfortunately the Varied Thrush is on private property a fair distance from any public road … thus not available for easy viewing (I can not reveal the location).

Varied Thrush and Range Map

 

The weekend continued with other unique experiences. Molly and I skied 20 kilometers across the frozen ice of Lake Superior from Ashland to Washburn at NIGHT! The event, Book Across the Bay is normally only 10 kilometers long, but in the gathering darkness Molly and I skied 10k from the finish to the start. Upon reaching Ashland, we had 20 minutes to rest before skiing back through the night. I used my GoPro to take some short videos. If you watch the two minute film you will gain an appreciation for skiing through darkness, past bonfires, hearing jazz out on the middle of the lake, and even seeing a fire breathing dragon … all with well over 2,000 of your best friends. I was starting to lag when I reached the finish. 20k is more than I had skied so far this year.

Sunday saw me volunteering in the Bog, but of course I had to go birding on the way home.  These Ring-Necked Pheasants and Evening Grosbeaks provided me some nice views.

Mr. and Mrs. Ring-Necked Pheasant

Mr. and Mrs. Evening Grosbeak

Wolftrack Sled Dog Race

Year 6

Molly and I are working upon another article for the Lake Country Journal. Our current effort is sled dogging in the Northwoods, which will include information about the Wolftrack Classic Sled Dog Race. However, the article is much more than just about racing. A few days ago in the middle of a major snowstorm, Molly and I spent a delightful afternoon with Ann and Al Stead, owners of Northhome Kennels. These two individuals love life and dogs … perhaps in the reverse order! After all, their sled dogs, all Siberian Huskies love to run! Even during a big storm, Ann takes her dogs out to run. Pulling a sled through the woods is their nirvana!

I won’t tip my hat in terms of what we will include in the article, but here is a brief photo essay preview! However I will invite you to learn more about the human part of this great team via an interview in Sled Dog Central and their Sled Dog Boot Camp. I am so lucky to be able to follow this team through the woods. Better yet, I can even reach their kennel by bicycle once the warm weather returns.

Incidentally, taking photographs in the midst of a major snowstorm is a bit of a challenge. Aside from keeping extra batteries warm due to the cold, auto-focus is a bit “iffy” because the beam keeps bouncing off snowflakes. Thus, I kept switching between a manual and auto-focus lenses. In theory, manual focus is better in a snowstorm, but this assumes the huskies will stand still!!! The dogs wanted to play. While photographing one dog, I would get playfully attacked from behind by another dog. I was laughing and having the time of my life! They tumbled me into the snow more than once.

The Important characters in our upcoming story

Ann with one of her dogs

Need Help with a Bird ID!

Year 6

Need help with a bird ID. These guys just showed up in my feeder. I’ve never seen anything like this in northeastern Minnesota. It’s been a cold, harsh winter, and it’s bringing unusual birds into the feeder. Apparently they must be nocturnal.

Photo #1: My wife Molly first noticed the birds coming up the steps

Photo #2: The birds gathered around the feeder. Not sure they knew what to do.

Photo #3: Eureka! Two birds figured out how to get seed! Starvation averted.