Tag Archives: MN North: Minnesota Point

Red Fox … Bird of the Day!

November 29, 2015Year 2MN North: Minnesota Pointrichardhoeg@gmail.com

I had heard there were three snowy owls hanging out down by the Duluth waterfront. Given the beautiful blue skies this afternoon, after a bike ride up the shore I jumped in my car and drove down to the harbor. Arriving in the late afternoon, I worked all my “snowy areas” with zero luck. Who cares!? This red fox posed for some great photos. Who needs birds!!!

Failed Birding Expeditions

November 1, 2015Year 2MN North: Duluth Harbor, MN North: Minnesota Pointrichardhoeg@gmail.com

The non birder may wonder, why do we do it? What could possibly make a sane human being arise before sunrise, and go out after sunset in search of a bird?! This question might seem harder to answer in light of how many times a birding expedition ends in failure. In short, why do we do it?

There are many possible answers, but in my case the response is simple … seeing the beauty in the world around me. Finding my sought after bird is only a bonus. For instance, today …

Before sunrise I left my home in search of a red-throated loon. These birds migrate through our area having left their northern sub-Arctic home. I walked over four miles out Park Point to the Superior Entry of the Twin Ports Harbor
After sunset I drove down to Duluth’s port terminal. My goal was to spot a snowy owl.

In each instance, I had information that indicated my target birds had been recently seen in my birding areas. However, I was a failed birder. Neither bird made an appearance for me. Before you think the outings were a failure, see my photos for today’s post. Beauty was all around me, just not my desired specific birds

A Superior Sunrise (ocean going freighter anchored out in Lake Superior)

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A Superior Night (ocean going freighter unloading at the Port Terminal)

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A Snow Bunting (a different Arctic bird posed for me this morning)

24 Hours on Lake Superior!

September 28, 2015Year 2MN North: Canal Park, MN North: Minnesota Point, MN North: Mouth of the Lester Riverrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Lake Superior is a great place to spend time. Over the past twenty four hours I have watched the rise of the Super Moon at Canal Park, the sunrise at the mouth of the Lester River, and a small flock of immature Sanderlings working the Park Point shoreline in search of food. These little shore birds spend most of their lives migrating … south to north … a few weeks on the Arctic Ocean shores … then north to south. Repeat. For a few days they are now visiting via Duluth, a stopover on their way south to the Gulf Coast.

Duluth … my kind of place!

Super Moon rises out over Lake Superior at Canal Park