What should one do on an ugly last day of April? Surf on Lake Superior!

The last three days have seen winds out of the northeast in excess of 40 mph. This morning the wind velocity finally dipped, but the wave’s swells at Stoney Point are excellent for surfing. Although I was working the shore photographing ducks, I enjoyed taking some time out from my fine feathered friends to enjoy some humans!

Conditions at the time of the photographs were:

• Water temperature: 34F
• Air temperature: 39F
• Weather: sleet / freezing rain

Since this blog is focused upon my bird photography project, I’ve obviously includes my bird photos for today which I took closer to Duluth where the US Coast Guard was helping a convoy of seven freighters that were stuck in the pack ice. (note: Stoney Point is about 5 miles up the shore from where ice has socked in the Duluth end of Lake Superior socked.) The photograph of the waves breaking against the shore at Stoney Point was taken this past Sunday morning when the winds started to howl. All other pictures are from this morning.

Stoney Point Surfing

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Stoney Point Video

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Horned Grebe (bird of the day!)

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Ducks and the US Coast Guard rescue a ship stuck in the pack ice

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Courtship of the Red-Breasted Merganser (and a bored common merganser)

• The hen dips her head and squacks
• The drake returns the display
• The new happy couple!