Wood Ducks a Courting! Videos!

Year 5

Duluth is still locked in winter, but 175 miles to the south as one exits the Boreal Forest, there are hints of spring. Although lakes are still ice over in the Minneapolis area, the streams that enter and exit lakes have open water and the early arriving ducks are aware of that fact. This morning at sunrise I found a flock of 21 Wood Ducks in a small area of open water. The ratios of drakes to hens made for interesting mating competition. I counted 18 drakes, and 3 hens. When I determined that one hen was already paired off with a drake, you really only had two female birds to be fought over by 17 guys!

Here are a few of my photos. The courting competion allowed me to get much closer than is  normally possible with wood ducks. I was a non entity when love was a possibility! In addition you will find two videos … the same sequence both at full speed and slowed down by a factor of two. The slow motion allows one to better see what is happening!

Community Courting

Early Morning Light

No Means No!

Territory Dispute with a Mallard

Iced Love

Rejected Suitors

Slow Motion Video (by a factor of two)

Full Speed Video

Transitions: Life and Weather!

Year 5,

Our new grandson, Michael Patrick, arrived yesterday afternoon! There are now five munchkins in the new generations of Hoegs with prospects for many more! Hanging and Helping out with Molly at our daughter’s house.

Early next week we will then head south to start our spring bicycle tour … over 1,000 miles in Texas. We call our ride the Two Timing Texas Tour. (daily bike tour diary)

Transitions!

My trip diary and our planned route.

Arctic Riviera Long Tailed Duck!

Year 5

Yesterday’s 25 to 30 mph wind fell to about 15 mph today … with plenty of sunshine. In short, even though the temperature was only 33F, I bicycled up the shore of Lake Superior to McQuade Harbor. I do NOT want to know the chill factor, but suffice it to say during the first half of my ride there were nice white caps out on the big lake and I was cold.

Thankfully, every ride has a turning point. Instead of slogging at a 10 to 11 mph speed into the wind, I turned and flew home … never below 15 mph, and often as high as 20 mph. When I reached my uphill turn at Lester River I spied a duck landing on the water. I decided to dismount and check out what quacker had landed at the mouth of the river. Am I ever glad I got off my bike and checked out the duck. A lone Long Tailed Duck, normally found on the Arctic Ocean, decided to take a break from its northward migration. Although given my cycling clothes I was definitely not dressed for hanging out in the wide open getting blasted by the wind, I figured watching a Long Tailed Duck from a distance of often less than ten yards might be a once in a life time experience!

Here are my images:

A soon to be wet duck!

Immediately after … escaping to a new ice berg!

Swimming

Profile

Long Tailed Duck Imitating a Penguin!