Tag Archives: MN North: Lester River

24 Hours in the Northland: Boats, Birds, Fish!

Yesterday I could not buy a decent bird photograph. Although the Meadowlarks were back,  neither them or any other bird species would strike a decent pose for a photo. Thankfully I had a fallback … my first freighter image of this shipping season, The Michipicoten. This ore boat is a classic ship having been built in 1952 … making her four years more a classic than yours truly! I tend to be very picky about which ships I photograph, and the combination of the Duluth Shipping News Schedule and a real time marine app allows me to insure I am at the right place at the right time!

The Michipicoten

The ship photograph must have changed my luck, because over the next 24 hours birds seemed to want their photograph taken, and then to top it off … the steelhead run started which obviously had to be captured on camera. (native rainbow trout which spawn in Lake Superior rivers).

Failed! A Steelhead trying to jump a Lester River cascade.

Wisconsin Wetland Photographs

Ring-Necked Ducks

Sandhill Cranes et al

American Kestrel

A Distant Meadowlark

Stuffed! (A very full Bald Eagle which let me get amazing close and never flushed)

Lester River Kayak Race 2017 (video)

Had fun watching the annual Lester River Kayak Race today. The organizers have to wait till the ice overhangs are off the river (safety), and the flow is properly fast. At that point the decision is made to race! This pool plunge is about a one mile hike from my home!

In the video … one kayaker goes forward, and one goes backward!

And some more photographs. The Lester River is a wilderness river which screams down to Lake Superior on the NE edge of Duluth, Minnesota.

Duluth Area Ducks! Synchronized Flight!

In the past few days I am starting to see the early stages of duck migration through the Duluth area. Capturing these two ring-necked ducks were definitely the highlight of the morning’s birding adventures. The forecast calls for a northeast wind and rain tomorrow. Our long string of gorgeous days may finally be at an end, but it has been great.

I actually went looking for hawks this morning, but although movement was slow, other bird species picked up the slack!

Ring Necked Ducks
Y2-M09-Ring-Necked-Ducks-6 Y2-M09-Ring-Necked-Ducks-2 Y2-M09-Ring-Necked-Ducks-5

———-

Flickers x2!
Y2-M09-Flicker-Duo-1 Y2-M09-Flicker-Duo-2

———-

Palm Warbler
Y2-M09-Palm-Warbler

———-

Peak-a-Boo Blue Jay
Y2-M09-Peak-a-Boo-Blue-Jay