Oh Them Juveniles!

October 6, 2015Year 2MN North: Amity, WI North: Superior Entryrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Over the past few days I have found some neat birds, but they are all juveniles. Ugh. Identification can be difficult. What is a birder to do?! First year birds often look nothing like their parents, male or female. While two bird species were somewhat easy to identify, the experts can not agree on my plover … “black bellied” or “American golden” … only its hairdresser knows! (actually asked some experts from the local college … no agreement on the plover)

American Golden or Black Bellied Plover (juvenile)

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Red-Bellied Woodpecker (juvenile)

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Hooded Mergansers (juvenile)

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Oh yes … I’m still out photographing the Northern Lights. Two photos from Saturday night on Boulder Lake, one during moonrise.

Suomi Hills Serenity

October 1, 2015Year 2MN North: NorthStar Lake Regionrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Two nights ago we had a killing frost. With temperatures plunging into the mid 20’s in extreme northern Minnesota, I knew it was time to shut down the water at my small northwoods cabin. As I drove the backroads through the forest approaching NorthStar Lake, the lakes were steaming in an attempt conquer the early morning sun. It was a magical, mystical time to be in the wilderness.

Trumpeter Swans in the cold pond steam

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A beaver swims across a northwoods pond

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Our cabin … as it will look by Christmas

24 Hours on Lake Superior!

September 28, 2015Year 2MN North: Canal Park, MN North: Minnesota Point, MN North: Mouth of the Lester Riverrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Lake Superior is a great place to spend time. Over the past twenty four hours I have watched the rise of the Super Moon at Canal Park, the sunrise at the mouth of the Lester River, and a small flock of immature Sanderlings working the Park Point shoreline in search of food. These little shore birds spend most of their lives migrating … south to north … a few weeks on the Arctic Ocean shores … then north to south. Repeat. For a few days they are now visiting via Duluth, a stopover on their way south to the Gulf Coast.

Duluth … my kind of place!

Super Moon rises out over Lake Superior at Canal Park