Tag Archives: MN North: Two Harbors

I am not a midget, said the Cackling Goose!

Year 3

Many folks upon seeing a Cackling Goose would exclaim: “Wow, a midget Canada Goose!”, but they would be wrong. Let me introduce you to the Cackling Goose (learn more via Cornell), a totally different species which is the size of a large mallard, but looks like a small Canada Goose. I found this specimen this morning in Two Harbors, Minnesota hanging out with its larger cousins.
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In addition, I am adding some non-bird photographs from the past few days. The first two images are from my trip/hike yesterday into the heart of the Superior National Forest. Given its deer hunting season, I am wearing bright red. When hunting season ends I’ll go back to camowear. The river scene shows the forest fireburnt out white pines.
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The final image shows testing of the large Christmas tree at Bentleyville. The holiday lighting display is the largest in America. Admission is free and one may even have hot chocolate, visit Santa or toast marshmellow … right down on the waterfront.
bentleyville-sunset

A “Superior” Morning … Photoshop is not a Dirty Word!

Year 3

A lone fisherman looks out over Lake Superior shortly after sunrise as the Edwin Gott steams past the Two Harbors, Minnesota breakwater. The James Oberstar may be seen in the distance, having left Duluth earlier in the morning. A “superior” morning!

Now … yes, I did use Photoshop Elements for this image.

  • Did I change the color? No.
  • Did I change the exposure? No.
  • What changes did I make to this image?

My edits to this photograph were minor, but important. Other than some small sharpening to increase clarity of the image, my main edits were judicious use of cropping. If you have digital zoom turned on for your camera, please turn it off! Post processing with an “in focus” image allows the photographer to decide via cropping to better tell the desired story, or a different story. Thus, why use digital zoom, when one may always crop later in post processing better tell your story. Remember, a good image tells a story … thus a “superior morning” (as in Lake Superior 15 minutes after sunrise)

Here are two different crops of my image. I like the first crop better as it brings out the fisherman, the second freighter in the distance, the ore boat’s wake and birds. The second image still is nice … with some foreground and a buoy.

Image #1
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Image #2
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Transitions … Falling into Winter!

Year 3,

The sun finally made its rumored reappearance yesterday in northern Minnesota. As the mercury soared to 59F and I took my daily bike ride up the North Shore of Lake Superior on Scenic 61 basking in the warmth (and wearing shorts of November 1st!), it was hard to believe that in all likelihood by the end of this month I was be cross-country skiing. During my ride I saw some late blooming black-eyed susans, and even a few dragonflies. Weird!
black-eyed-susans

The birds know that this weather is only a tease. The Northwoods have long since been emptied of summer songbirds. Instead snow buntings, visitors from the Arctic, some of our last migrants have appeared along our roadsides. On hwy #7 in Sax-Zim Bog, I watched a flock of 250+ of there white fluffballs forage for seeds. Thankfully, I found one lone errant snow bunting which allowed me to get closer for taking a photo.
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A magpie forages in a farm field … Sax-Zim Bog
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As sunset approached I took a quick swing up and back to Two Harbors. Hawks, particularly red-tailed and rough-legged hawks often use the large grassy areas along the expressway for some late afternoon hunting. Such was the case with this red-tailed.
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