I had thought the migration of birds through northern Minnesota was complete, but I was wrong. This morning I discovered a small flock of Semipalmated-Plovers at the mouth of the Lester River. It was almost hard to believe that our weather of fog, rain and 45F could be considered warm, but these plovers thought the gravel bar at the mouth of a river on Lake Superior was the perfect resting / eating spot on their trip up north. Ultimately these birds will end up on the northern shores of the Arctic Ocean in Canada.

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Semipalmated Plovers

Living by Lake Superior is sweet. Even though we are having thunder storms all day, a temporary break in the weather shortly after dawn allowed me to pop down to Brighton Beach and catch these seagulls with my camera!

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The post title sounds like a “B Movie”, but the name is appropriate. The smelt and steelhead run up the northern Minnesota streams and rivers of Lake Superior continues to strengthen, and the diving ducks are very aware of that fact! With the wind chance out of the NE, the ice left Wisconsin and slammed back against the Minnesota shore. However, the current at the mouth of the Lester River insures and opening for fishing.

Today I saw and photographed my first hooded merganser. I hope you’re agree they are a pretty bird. In addition, two red-breasted mergansers drakes fought over a hen. I wonder if any female is worth the trouble?!

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Hooded Merganser

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Red-Breasted Merganser Fight

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Ice flowing back to Minnesota from Wisconsin