Tag Archives: MN North: Mouth of the Lester River

New Olympic Sport: Iceberg Fat Tire Jumping

Year 5,

Here on the Arctic Riviera we take our winter sports seriously. Snow and ice are not to be despised, this white stuff is to be embraced. If one can integrate them with the crystal clear waters of Lake Superior, you have reached nirvana!!! While I did not find any Long-Tailed Ducks working their way back to the Arctic, I found a pair of athletes preparing for the next Olympics. Watch out world, via our curling team and the women’s ice hockey teams, Duluthians already ruled with all our gold. We will reign supreme in four years at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Thus … the newly sanctioned sport of Iceberg Fat Tire Jumping (oh yes … saw two Snowy Owls at sunrise this morning … image at end of post)

Video … Slow Mo x2 (watch video at full speed)

The Snowy Owls will return to the Arctic in a few days. In the mean time I plan to return and watch my two friends hunt at sunset.

At Play on the Arctic Riviera

Year 5

It’s 40F and sunny … residents of the Arctic Riviera come out to play! After my bike ride along the shores of Lake Superior this afternoon I went over to the mouth of the Lester River and found kayakers at play! This location is about 800 yards from my home in Duluth, Minnesota. Other than Lake Superior, there is not much open water around which makes birding difficult. Early migration will start when the North Shore streams open up a bit with snow melt … attracting salmon, trout and ducks. There are some mergansers and long-tailed ducks around right not, but not in very large numbers.

Fire and Ice … Dawn and Dark!

Year 5, ,

What a way to bookend a day … Ice Ducks at dawn, and the Aurora Borealis at midnight!

ICE!
Before dawn I went down to the big lake and positioned myself out on an ice flow in an attempt to take “ice flight” shots in the early morning light. There is a small stream that is underground for a few hundred yards just before emptying into Lake Superior near Lester River. The warm water attracts ducks during the winter.

FIRE!
Thought I would be going to bed after watching a movie with Molly, but Lady Aurora thought differently. My Aurora Borealis app sounded an alarm at 8 pm, and shortly before 9 pm I drove 35 minutes to Boulder Lake. Had to slog through knee deep snow for about 1/2 mile to reach my vantage point out on the ice. The temperature dropped from 13 to 7F by the time I left shortly before midnight. This image was taken a bit before 11 pm.

I will admit to being tired this afternoon. I was out of the house by 6 am to beat the sunrise, and did not call it quits till fifteen minutes after midnight. No complaints, just tired!