I am really hoping the pair of Pileated Woodpeckers which have been hanging around my yard, and occasionally come in to the suet will nest in one of my old trees! Could a New Year’s Eve Wedding be in the offing?!
Has been fun to watch them from our living room window seat. The suet feeder is only five yards away!
What a great Christmas. All of my children and grandchildren traveled to the Northwoods, and once everyone was safely here, a winter storm hit! The snow was a gift to this photographer. While we already had snow on the ground, it is hard to argue with 2/3 of a foot of new white stuff … followed by a crisp clear sunny day for birding. I continue to find these pine grosbeaks just north of Duluth. Crab apples are like Christmas candy to these birds. They are hanging out on Riley Road just off Jean Duluth Road.
All the children were finally asleep last night, and the snow had abated … peace reigned in the Northwoods!
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Riley Road Pine Grosbeaks
While I love watching birds, the night skies are also a favorite. Since the 1st of September, there have been an incredible number of Northern Lights displays easily viewable in Minnesota’s Lake Superior region. By driving a few miles out of my hometown, Duluth, I have been treated to some amazing displays.
Here are three images from two nights ago. I had a blast moving around the North Shore. I was out from 12:30 am to 5:30 am!
Splitrock Lighthouse (tricky shot … required zoom which threw off normal settings)
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Knife River Gorge (I used light painting to illuminate the closer boulders)
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The Deeps (200 yards from my own driveway … dawn is under 2 hours away)
