Tag Archives: MN North: Canal Park

Year 2: Just Another Northwoods Morning! (day #12)

Year 2,

Hmmm … what do I love about northern Minnesota? While I could list a huge number of reasons, I will let a few photographs do my talking. Winter is a season to be embraced, not feared. Out before dawn in cold weather (0F, -15C), the day only became better as it proceeded. Take a look:

A Snow Owl is silhouetted against the sunrise
Y2-D012-Sunrise-Snowy

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Conga Line dancing ducks at Duluth’s Canal Park
Y2-D012-Conga-Line-Canal-Park-Ducks-1

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Mid morning hike up one of the French River waterfall with friends.
Y2-D012-French-River-Walk-On-Water-2

Winter means one can explore the North Shore using trails not available in the warmer months! The streams and rivers provide access to back country which can not be reached at other times of the year.

Days 362 to 364: Countdown Birds

Year 2, ,

Yes … I am in the final countdown to having completed 365 straight days of taking at least one bird photograph every day. As we have neared the completion of my goal, the pressure has mounted. Birds get increasingly hard to find during the northern Minnesota winter, and thereby photographic opportunities decrease. Given I want to take a good and interesting photograph I have become slightly paranoid about this project. My hours dedicated each day to birding have rapidly increased. Here are the last three days in preparation for tomorrow’s grand finale!

Day 362: Night Owl! (Northern Hawk Owl at Dusk)
362-Birds-365-Northern-Hawk-Owl-Perched

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Day 363: Mallards … Fearless or Foolish? (last freighter of the shipping season)
363-Birds-365-Time-to-Move-Mallards

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Day 364: Adult and Immature Bald Eagles at Lester River
364-Birds-365-Bald-Eagle-Adult 364-Birds-365-Bald-Eagle-Juvenile-Perched

Day 361: Visitors from Up North

Year 2,

Hard to believe … on Thursday one year of photographing birds will be done, but for the moment the pressure is still on! Today I first went to Canal Park at the entrance to the Duluth Harbor and had fun watching the two Northern Pintails and five million mallards. Pintails are rare in the Duluth area, and with the shipping season closing on Monday or Tuesday, the canal will freeze up quickly and make for very few ducks.

Originally I had not planned on going out birding again today, but given my wife was out of town, I decided to head up to the Duluth airport just before sunset in search of snowy owls. Jackpot! I will have to return for an evening with decent light and watch this snowy hunt.

Northern Pintail
361-Birds-365-Northern-Pintail

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Duluth Airport Snowy Owl (I think I’m being watched!)
361-Birds-365-Duluth-Airport-Snowy-Owl-4