Tag Archives: MN North: Stony Point

Day 098: Ducks of the US Coast Guard!

Year 1,

What should one do on an ugly last day of April? Surf on Lake Superior!

The last three days have seen winds out of the northeast in excess of 40 mph. This morning the wind velocity finally dipped, but the wave’s swells at Stoney Point are excellent for surfing. Although I was working the shore photographing ducks, I enjoyed taking some time out from my fine feathered friends to enjoy some humans!

Conditions at the time of the photographs were:

  • Water temperature: 34F
  • Air temperature: 39F
  • Weather: sleet / freezing rain

Since this blog is focused upon my bird photography project, I’ve obviously includes my bird photos for today which I took closer to Duluth where the US Coast Guard was helping a convoy of seven freighters that were stuck in the pack ice. (note: Stoney Point is about 5 miles up the shore from where ice has socked in the Duluth end of Lake Superior socked.) The photograph of the waves breaking against the shore at Stoney Point was taken this past Sunday morning when the winds started to howl. All other pictures are from this morning.

Stoney Point Surfing
Stoney-Point-Surfing-1 Stoney-Point-Surfing-2 Stoney-Point-Surfing-3 Stoney-Point-Waves-1

———-

Stoney Point Video

———-

Horned Grebe (bird of the day!)
098-Birds-365-Horned-Grebe-2 098-Birds-365-Horned-Grebe-9

———-

Ducks and the US Coast Guard rescue a ship stuck in the pack ice
098-Birds-365-Ducks-Coast-Guard-2

———-

Courtship of the Red-Breasted Merganser (and a bored common merganser)

  • The hen dips her head and squacks
  • The drake returns the display
  • The new happy couple!

098-Birds-365-Courtship-Red-Breasted-Merganser-1 098-Birds-365-Courtship-Red-Breasted-Merganser-2 098-Birds-365-Courtship-Red-Breasted-Merganser-3

Amity: A Winter Wonderland Photographic Tour (free book)

Background, , , , ,

This past Winter has the most number of sub-zero degree days in history (fahrenheit). With Friday’s snow we are over 130 inches for the season, and have moved into the third snowiest winter in history for northern Minnesota. Thus, it’s time to publish my first book which will take you on a magical tour of this winter wonder which I call “Amity”.

Amity, will be published and available via Amazon in approximately seven days. However, I am giving away a pdf version of my book via NorthStarNerd.Org (my other web site). Here is the book’s description:

The Lake Superior wilderness of northern Minnesota is rustically beautiful. Amity invites you to explore this region’s winter wonderland through the eyes of landscape and nature photographer Rich Hoeg. The word “Amity” comes from a small stream that roars down the hill to Lake Superior near Duluth, Minnesota.

This winter I was flattered to see organizations such as Fox News and the Weather Channel pick up and use my ice cave photographs in national news articles on the Apostle Islands Sea Caves. In addition, being one of the few finalists in the Lake Superior Magazine annual photo contest was an honor.

I hope you enjoy Amity.

Here is just one photo from Amity. This photo of Split Rock Lighthouse was taken shortly before dawn on April 18, 2014. Winter is finally starting to give up here grip on the Northland. (click to view photo at full resolution)

Split-Rock-Dawn-2

Day 095: Riding the Lake Superior Wind!

Year 1

The Lake Superior forecast over the next few days includes steady winds at 30+ mph, with gusts often into the mid 40’s. Shortly after dawn this morning I photographed this seagull riding and gliding on the wind near Stoney Point. You are looking to the northeast as the last remaining clear sky escapes before the rain, sleet and snow close in upon us for the next five days.

095-Birds-365-Wind-Blown-Gull