Goldeneye Time to Fly!

Year 4

The Duluth shipping season will end within the next seven days. The harbor is now ice covered, and freighters would be locked in their winter slumber if not for the ice breaking chores of tugboats! On the birding front, hundreds of ducks are hanging out in the Duluth Ship Canal at the entrance to Lake Superior. If you saw the CSL Assiniboine steaming down upon you the best decision would be to get the heck out of Dodge!

Canadian Steamship Lines Assiniboine Enters the Ship Canal

Goldeneyes Decide it’s Time to Fly!

Earlier, back in the harbor … the Tug North Carolina Breaks Ice for the Assiniboine

Video of the North Carolina Breaking Ice

52 Week Photo Project for 2017

Year 4

Four years ago I initiated 365 Days of Birds, and for every day in the year I had to take a photograph of at least one bird. I enjoyed that project, but it was brutal and demanding.

  • Try finding birds in a whiteout / blizzard to take a photograph!
  • During the winter birding doldrums, another chickadee image?!
  • etc.

However, I learned a lot about myself and photography with my year long birding project. Thus, for 2017 I am starting a 52 week project. Once a week I must take an image of “The Deeps”. This waterfall, where water crashes over a bluestone outcropping as it rushes downhill to Lake Superior, is only 250 yards from my house. It will be fun to see how the personality of a waterfall changes over one year, and how I challenge myself to better my photograph skills.

Pinched Nerve Update: Limited walking! I drove my car to The Deeps (200 yards), but I did walk to the garage from my house … and then from the street to The Deeps.

Here is Week #1: The Frozen Deeps.

Birding 2016: It’s an eBird Wrap!

Background

This post provides 2016 eBird data for northern Minnesota, including instructions on how to use eBird even without an account. Living in Duluth I have easy access to the top birding sites in Northland. You’ll note from the eBird data that St. Louis and Lake Counties are two of the top four birding counties out of 87 total counties in Minnesota.

This post reviews the 2016 eBird results, and also provides instructions and links on how you might utilize this information, even without an eBird account. However, please consider using eBird which is sponsored by Cornell University Lab of Ornithology. They do nice work, and most of their services are provided without charge.

If you find after reviewing the information in this post, you would like direct access to eBird data, use these links: (for states other than Minnesota, use a Minnesota links and then change to your desired location)

January 2016 Sax-Zim Bog Bird Sightings Found Here

Click upon or press upon any image to view at full size!

2016 eBird Minnesota County Results (partial)

2016 eBird Minnesota Birding Hot Spots (partial) in St. Louis County

Hot Spot Bird Species List

Hot Spot Birding Visit Details