The ice out line across Minnesota roughly stretches across the state at Duluth. Yesterday Hartley Pond was still iced over, but the Forest Hill Cemetery Ponds were ice free. Bigger lakes are still socked in with ice, and as you head north the thickness of lake ice is still significant. However, stay off the ice. Current and melt water can quickly erode local ice.

Two days ago when there was still some ice on the Forest Hill ponds, I enjoyed quality time with migrating ducks. Waterfowl in their attempts to be the first to be the first to claim prime breeding habitat will always find the most northern open water. Small ponds allows a person birding to get MUCH closer to duck species that normally would never let a human be within hundreds of years.

Iced Ducks!

Wood Ducks

Common Mergansers (males)

Hooded Merganser (male)

Hoodies and a Woodie!

Quick note: The White Pelicans returned to Chambers Grove over night. While a few pelicans have been present on the St. Louis River, they are now hanging out in large numbers on the rock reefs.