Monthly Archives: December 2016

Sea Smoke Deep Freeze Birding on the Arctic Riviera!

Year 3, ,

The temperature fell to -7 last night with a HUGE wind to create dangerous windchills and Sea Smoke on Lake Superior. Thus, what’s a photographer to do? Enjoy the weather!

In my first image, the ore boat / freighter … the Great Lakes Trader arrives at Canal Park in Duluth this morning surrounded by Sea Smoke. After my Sea Smoke sunrise photo, I’ve included a pic taken a few moments later with seagulls. The birds are not scared by the freighter … rather the immense engines and propellers suck up and kill fish … free food for gulls to snatch out of the ship’s wake.

This image was my final photograph at Canal Park. I had to run with my gear to change my perspective and capture the ore boat showing the other lighthouse at Canal Park and the ice encrusted bow of the Great Lakes Trader.

This cold has finally driven some northern birds down to the Arctic Riviera. Pine Grosbeaks consider our northern Minnesota climate balmy compared to the northern Boreal forests in Canada. We are the southern Boreal forests! In addition, many northern eagles have now flown down to our area courtesy of strong northwest winds. Finally goldeneyes are making their winter home in the Duluth area now that Lake Superior is the only open water around.

Old Vermilion Trail Birding & Skiing

Year 3

Old Vermilion Trail is back in business! I had a delightful cross-country ski early this afternoon. The ski trailhead which I groom and maintain is right across the road from the bird feeders (2 miles in from Normana Rd). Rock skis are required as although the snow coverage is good, snow depth varies between 2 and 4 inches and you will occasionally bottom out during a kick (classic only). While driving home, and only a few miles from Old Vermilion Trail I found a huge flock of pine grosbeaks on Lizmore Road, and two Bald Eagles.
y3-m12-lizmore-road-bald-eagle

Finally, here is an image of my friend Greg. We traveled up into the Pagami Creek Forest Fire region yesterday. He is seen scanning Isabella Lake during one of our numerous hikes. It is quite unusual for a lakes to be ice free at this time of year.y3-m12-isabella-lake-pastor-greg

Sunday Night at the Movies: Forest Fires & Foxes!

Year 3,

Before the days of YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime, the network TV stations often had a show named Sunday Night at the Movies! The idea was the network would pick a popular movie and all us Americans would watch same.

Tonight, I bring the 365 Days of Birds Sunday Night at the Movies … In fact … even like when you attend a flick at any good theater I am providing you with a great animated short prior to the main feature! Long time readers of my blog know I love chasing and photographing the Northern Lights. Thus, I was thrilled to finally discover this week what actually causes the Aurora … an Arctic Fox painting the lights with its tail!

Yours truly watching a simultaneous Aurora and sunrise this summer near the Canadian Border in northern Minnesota.
isabella-northern-lights-greenwood-lake-sunrise-2-selfie

And now for our main feature … many of us bird the Pagami Creek Forest Fire region northwest of Isabella (Tomahawk Rd). A few days ago I discovered this video on YouTube; . it is training for US Forest Service rangers. In the video six rangers who were in the BWCA at the time of the fire were working to warn and evacuate people. However, the fire expanded dramatically and quickly; they were themselves overrun by the fire and only saved themselves by deploying fire shelters in the middle of Insula Lake. The video is 35 minutes long, but I found it interesting to hear first hand accounts about what it’s like to have a wildfire catch up to you, and overrun your position. I am actually going up there tomorrow morning with a friend. There will be lots of snow on the ground!