The number of birds at my feeders is less than previous years and so far I haven’t spotted any Redpolls this February like I have in past years.
Missing Redpoll
Picture of the Day for February 24, 2020
The forecast has temperatures nearing zero at night for a few days but at least not a real cold spell as it doesn’t look like this board fence will be much of a barrier to stop the cold from getting through.
Worn Out Fence
Picture of the Day for February 23, 2020
Any day reaching 40 in February is a plus and it was warm enough for me to wash some of the salt off my vehicle. I could have used some wave action to help wash all the dirt and salt that the winter roads have left behind but with more winter days, it will be coated again soon.
Superior Waves
Picture of the Day for February 22, 2020
The foggy night left a light frost coating on the trees this morning but the sunshine melted the hoarfrost fairly quickly.
Frosty Pine Needles
Picture of the Day for February 21, 2020
The sunshine and a temperature at the freezing mark should have felt good today after the prior cold days but the wind was whipping the snow around making it feel arctic. The recent cold days still wasn’t enough to form a stable ice layer to see the caves near Meyer Beach as in past years.
Ice Walk to the Caves
Picture of the Day for February 20, 2020
With a very cold start of the day, these birds should have had snuggling close together instead of standing off from one another.
Pair of Birds
Picture of the Day for February 19, 2020
The critters might want their woolly or furry coat on as the temperatures drop to -14 tonight. Maybe this guy can butt the cold winter out and let spring in.
Winter Woolly
Picture of the Day for February 18, 2020
There was a thicker layer of snow this morning than what I thought there would be. The landscape had a new white sparkling coating but I rather have seen white daisies against some green grass instead by the time I got done shoveling snow.
Summertime White
Picture of the Day for February 17, 2020
The range of color in autumn seems to last for only a short time period compared to the white of winter, especially after a new light coating of snow this evening.
Range of Autumn Colors
Picture of the Day for February 16, 2020
The higher than average snowfall around Lake Superior this year makes great a snowshoeing season. But instead of snowshoeing for fun, it was a major method of travel in the winter for Father Frederic Baraga, who spent nearly 40 years traveling throughout Wisconsin and Michigan beginning in 1830 and became known as the Snowshoe Priest. In summer, his travel was often by canoe and in 1846 after learning of an epidemic afflicting the Ojibwe village in Grand Portage, he set out from Madeline Island. An unexpected storm pushed his canoe more than 100 miles off course and landed at the mouth of what is now the Cross River, a name bestowed in honor of the small wooden cross Father Baraga and his guide erected shortly after their safe landing. This granite cross replaced the original tree branch cross.
The Snowshoe Priest
