Days 321 & 322: Black and White in Living Color!

Year 1,

More than just us humans get tired occasionally with the fog, mist and clouds. From a photography perspective the challenge is low light, low color, and the need to raise ISO and Aperture levels to yield a quick enough shutter speed which accounts for how quickly birds tend to move. However, the ice, water and hoar frost is pretty! Sometimes the world seems devoid of color!

Day 321: Goldeneyes in the Duluth Harbor
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Day 322: Bald Eagle and Hoar Frost
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Day 320: Ice Lord! (photos)

Year 1

I have a new theory based upon this morning’s discovery of the Ice Lord! Let me explain …

While on my way to a local Nordic ski trail this morning for my workout, I stopped by the old Interstate Bridge on the Duluth Harbor Waterfront. Upon exiting the car, I heard a huge amount of screaming. Over the next few minutes was treated to four bald eagles (2 pairs) fighting in mid air. They dove, banked and did all kinds of aerial stunts … it was a true dog fight, or in this case an eagle fight.

My theory is that these birds were fighting over prime scavenging real estate. The US Coast Guard is keeping the shipping lanes open in the harbor. I believe that whenever a freighter comes by, its HUGE engines suck up and kill fish … in short a great and easy breakfast for eagles. Using the ship web site monitor for Duluth, I will check my hypothesis over the coming mornings.

The Winners! Ice Lords (and Ladies)
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Day 319: Snow Finches!

Year 1,

An Alberta Clipper roared down to northern Minnesota and delivered a burst of snow overnight. Given the temperature was near freezing, the pines and aspen were encrusted with a beautiful coat of white. The scenery demanded a hike into the forest. However, what I thought was pretty now has made food much harder to find for our winter bird population. Upon returning home from my hike, I discovered a huge number of purple finches and goldfinches in the feeder … and also for the rest of the day.

The first photo is of a small stream which is a tributary to the larger Knife River. The location is the north shore of Lake Superior.

My Morning Hike
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Ma and Pa Purple Finch
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American Goldfinch
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