Day 112: The Smelt are Running! The Smelt are Running!

May 14, 2014Year 1MN North: Amityrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Two days ago with a shift of the wind the ice pack blew away from the northern Minnesota shore (sorry Wisconsin south shore). After two days of slightly warmer weather and some sunshine, the smelt decided it was high time to start their spring run of the north shore streams and rivers of Lake Superior. It did not take long for both humans and birds to notice.

All but one of the bird photos were taken shortly after dawn this morning (the picture of the redheaded ducks was taken yesterday afternoon). The photo of the humans was taken under the full moon last night around 10 pm.

As a point of information, smelt are a small fish (herring like) which live in Lake Superior, but run up the streams in the early Spring to spawn (Minnesota DNR Link).

View this project’s Flickr photo stream. (click upon image to view at full size)

The Smelt are Running! The Smelt are Running (horned grebe)

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Where?! Where?! (red-necked grebe and cormorant)

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We’re coming (flock of cormorants)

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We fished last night! (flock of humans)

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Horned grebe trio

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Common Merganser

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Red-Breasted Merganser

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Redheads and Lesser Scaups (bluebills)

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Killjoy! (the presence of this bald eagle was not appreciated)

Day 111: Blue Jay Day

May 13, 2014Year 1MN North: Amity, MN North: Canosia Wildlife Arearichardhoeg@gmail.com

Throughout this entire project, whether I have been home in northern Minnesota, helping my Dad in central Florida, or volunteering in the Colorado Rockies, a common bird theme has been the ability to watch blue jays. Yet during this entire time to date, I never posted a photo of a single blue jay. However, with the Spring migration in force, even though some blue jays spend the winter in the Duluth area, southern jays are now migrating into and through the area. Over the past few days I’ve often seen flocks of well over one hundred blue jays. In fact, down on Minnesota Point two days ago I watched as a falcon attacked a flock of over 50 jays and had them completely terrified.

However, today is finally “Blue Jay Day”. The proper photographic conditions arrived for me to show off their deep, gorgeous blue. I’ve also included two photos which did not make the cut for my “bird of the day”.

View this project’s Flickr photo stream. (click upon image to view at full size)

Bird of the Day: Blue Jay

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Bad Hair Day Osprey

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Broad-Winged Hawk

Day 110: Would You Rather be a Duck?

May 12, 2014Year 1MN North: Mouth of the Lester Riverrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Would you like to swing on a star,
carry moonbeams home in a jar?

Or would you rather be a duck?

With my apologies to Bing Crosby (YouTube Link) and others for the slight change to the lyrics, I believe the answer to the question is “no”! I took these photos this morning at the mouth of the Lester River on Lake Superior. The wind was gusting to almost 40 mph, and these redheads really did not want to migrate one foot farther north. Their landing spot was about 50 yards past the end of the pack ice which has this end of Lake Superior (Duluth) slammed in with ice even on May 12th.