Tag Archives: MN North: Duluth Harbor

Morning Reflections … Duck Days!

Year 2

Yesterday morning I realized after my trip north from Duluth the prior morning that the final duck migration had to be starting now! North of Isabella all the ponds were iced over, and the lakes were rapidly losing their open water to ice. Frozen water meant all remaining ducks had to push south. Thus, at sunrise I drove down to Minnesota Point and the Duluth harbor did not disappoint. All my favorite ducks were present, with the first HUGE movement of goldeneyes into our area. Here are a few sunrise photo reflections.

Buffleheads!
Y2-M11-Morning-Reflections-Bufflehead-Duo

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Goldeneyes!
Y2-M11-Morning-Reflections-Goldeneyes-High-Bridge Y2-M11-Morning-Reflections-Goldeneye-Trio

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Hooded Mergansers!
Y2-M11-Morning-Reflections-Hooded-Mergansers

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Redheads (Dive, Captain, Dive!)
Y2-M11-Morning-Reflections-RedHead-Swimming Y2-M11-Morning-Reflections-RedHead-Diving

24 Hours of Lake Superior Magic!

Year 2, , ,

The  past week has been non stop drizzle, rain, wind and clouds, but yesterday that changed as the sun reappeared, and thus started 24 hours of magic! I live 600 yards above Lake Superior across from a wilderness creek which roars down to the big lake. The combination of Lake Superior, and the fall bird migration is an outdoor photographer’s dream.  The past 24 hours were a dream!

Pre-Dawn at Canal Park … the Buffalo enters the Duluth Harbor
A-Superior-Morning-Canal-Park-1

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Sunrise approaches as a Saltie waits anchored out on the lake
A-Superior-Morning-Canal-Park-3

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A Bald Eagle takes flight while migrating near McQuade Harbor
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Horned Locks migrate through out area, down from the sub-Arctic
Y2-M11-Horned-Lark-4

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A Snowy Owl at dusk decides to winter in warm Duluth … a tundra arrival
Y2-M11-Snowy-Owl-1

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The Northern Lights set the sky on fire at Boulder Lake
Boulder-Lake-Nov-2015-Islands Boulder-Lake-Nov-2015-2Pines

Failed Birding Expeditions

Year 2,

The non birder may wonder, why do we do it? What could possibly make a sane human being arise before sunrise, and go out after sunset in search of a bird?! This question might seem harder to answer in light of how many times a birding expedition ends in failure. In short, why do we do it?

There are many possible answers, but in my case the response is simple … seeing the beauty in the world around me. Finding my sought after bird is only a bonus. For instance, today …

  1. Before sunrise I left my home in search of a red-throated loon. These birds migrate through our area having left their northern sub-Arctic home. I walked over four miles out Park Point to the Superior Entry of the Twin Ports Harbor
  2. After sunset I drove down to Duluth’s port terminal. My goal was to spot a snowy owl.

In each instance, I had information that indicated my target birds had been recently seen in my birding areas. However, I was a failed birder. Neither bird made an appearance for me. Before you think the outings were a failure, see my photos for today’s post. Beauty was all around me, just not my desired specific birds

A Superior Sunrise (ocean going freighter anchored out in Lake Superior)
Superior-Morning-Saltie

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A Superior Night (ocean going freighter unloading at the Port Terminal)
Superior-Night-Saltie

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A Snow Bunting (a different Arctic bird posed for me this morning)
Y2-M11-Snow-Bunting