It was strange the way I captured today’s bird photo. Four US Coast Guard icebreakers are on Lake Superior trying to break our record ice pack which resulted from the colder Winter in history (As of today, there have been 74 days of super cold weather when the mercury plunged below zero beating the Winter of 1874 / 1875).

Well, the Lake Superior ice defeated the cutter, Morro Bay. It had to assisted into port by the larger cutter based out of the Duluth, the Alder. The mallards in today’s photo were not impressed, and refused to move even after the cutters entered the Duluth Ship Canal. You may view more photos of the three cutters returning to Duluth via Lake Superior Waves.

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In my continuing series of ducks photographed with lighthouses, or if you prefer … lighthouses photographed with ducks, here is today’s input. The picture was taken about 1/2 hour before dawn in the Duluth, Minnesota ship canal (i.e. the entrance to the harbor from Lake Superior). The two ducks are mallards.

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Here are some of the prior duck / lighthouse photographs

• Goldeneye Fly-In at Dawn (Feb. 7, 2014)
• Coast Guard Mallards (Mar. 10, 2014)
• Calm Before the Storm (Mar. 17, 2014)

And today’s effort … different lighthouse. As this has now become a sub-theme, I figure there are four other lighthouses within 60 miles which are target duck / lighthouse photoshoots!

Post Update: This bird has been laughing at me for weeks (see below lighthouse pic), and I could not get a photograph. If you know what a Pileated Woodpecker sounds like, you’ll understand my reference to laughing. Finally … today … deep in a pine grove way up high …

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My Laughing Friend: Mr. Pileated Woodpecker

A major Winter storm is due to move into the Northland tonight. Right now it is just plain dreary as evidenced by these mallards down at Duluth’s Canal Park. They are apparently bored with it all. However, they may just be trying to look “cool” or “bored” with the first small flock of mergansers which have also appeared in this small stretch of open water.

I am looking forward to nicer weather when the Army Corps of Engineers will open up the storm gates and allow folks to walk out on the pier. This will give me better access to more bird photos, and a perspective to photograph the “other” lighthouse.

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