We have been some busy campers. The weekend of Feb. 10 and 11, in the company of Barb, Ellen, and Joanna, was our annual Eastern Upper Peninsula birding extravaganza. Actually it was five of us driving for hours in a car looking for winter birds, visiting such well known birding hotspots as the Dafter Landfill, the Dafter Post Office, and the Kinross feeders.
Eastern U.P. snowy owl. One classy bird.
We also went to Hulbert Bog, on the eternal futile quest for gray jays. OK, maybe not quite eternal but futile is a good descriptor. Barb has been dragging us there for about ten years in unsuccessful attempts to find gray jays. In all fairness we always got there in the late afternoon when everything has settled down. This year we did things a little different and went directly to the bog. Didn’t even swing into the Dafter Dump on the way there.
There were other groups at the bog, chumming for the gray jays by throwing seed out on the road. We did a couple of futile passes, driving the length of the bog. Joanna and I decided to walk while the others did another drive through. We walked maybe 50 yards past another group when, lo and behold, two gray jays popped up.
We flagged down the group we passed but our group was too far away. By the time they got back the jays took off. So Barb didn’t get to see the gray jays but she did get some vindication. The gray jays would have been better but you gotta take what you can.
Barb, chumming for gray jays.
Waiting for the jays to show again.
Lise and I stayed another day and did a run up to Tahquamenon Falls. The falls were icy and very impressive. The light was terrible, mostly overcast with snow squalls blowing through. Still, worth the drive. Especially since there is a brew pub inside the State Park. Can’t say I have ever seen that before.
Tahquamenon Falls on a snowy, cloudy day.
Tahquamenon Falls.
Tahquamenon River, where Hiawatha built his canoe (by the rushing Tahquamenaw)
Snowstorm blowing through.
Brew pub in the State Park.
No North-woods brew pub would be complete without dead animals hanging on the wall. Actually no North-woods establishments of any sort would be complete without dead animals hanging on the wall.
This past weekend was the MSU Woman’s Water Polo invitational. Nice to have a tournament here at home. Friday was senior night where they announced that Molly will be going to Temple University to pursue a PhD. So I guess it’s official.
Senior night.
On the offense.
On the defense. She was described to me by someone from another team as “scrappy”.
Ed's and Lise's Biggish Years 