Unique Reflection
As I mentioned in my last post, the peak of fall colors this year was delayed and very subdued by the unusually cloudy and rainy weather of late September and early October. When peak color did arrive, it provided many photographic opportunities like this one at the Head of Lake Pepin.
Hunter's Moon
This full moon over "Point No Point" along the south shore of Lake Pepin appeared on October 23rd, during our peak color season. This celestial event is referred to as the "Hunter's Moon." The "Hunter's Moon" typically occurs in October and dates back to the First Nations of North America. The name was given because this was when deer had fatted themselves over the summer. Now was the time of tracking, hunting and harvesting by moonlight to stockpile food for the coming winter.
Restored Prairie
On October 9th, Scott and Anne Jones announced at a monthly Wacouta town board meeting they had recently donated 126 acres of currently agricultural land to the Minnesota Land Trust. One of the objectives of this generous gift is to restore the land to it's original condition as an oak prairie savannah.
Additional benefits from this effort will include improving water quality, restoring soil health and carbon sequestration. The new diverse flora will also be beneficial for a variety of birds, pollinators and other wildlife..
To give blog readers an idea of what this new winter landscape might look like, I have included this recent photo taken of the restored prairie in Frontenac State Park on the top of Rattlesnake Bluff.
Ice Sculpture
As I mentioned in the last post, the river has been unusually high this fall. This situation contributed to the early departure of white pelicans from our area to feeding areas further south. A fairly significant drop in the river coincided with the recent onset of the cold snap starting November 7th. The combination of these events contributed to some interesting ice sculptures along the lake shore.
Tundra Swans Migrating
In a normal year, the annual fall migration of tundra swans from their arctic nesting grounds to the wintering areas along the east coast including Chesapeake Bay takes place the early part of November. Prior to November 7th, I had not observed a single flock of swans overhead.
With the cold temperatures and northwest winds combined with snow November 7th thru 9th, the sky was filled with migrating swans. At times I would hear and observe as many as four separate flocks at once.
Due to the fact that our local backwaters are void of food for these birds, I have never observed tundra swans resting or feeding here. That all changed on the morning of November 9th as I drove to Lake City in heavy snow. Surprisingly I observed a large flock of swans resting on Frontenac Pond. No doubt they became blinded by the brutal travelling conditions. An hour later the snow had stopped and as I was returning home, the swans were nowhere to be seen.
Resting Swans
On November 13th, Kathy and I decided to visit the most popular area on this stretch of river to observe and photograph tundra swans. At Brownsville, Minnesota in a good year at this time in November, it is not uncommon to observe up to 15,000 swans from two viewing areas maintained by the Fish and Wildlife Service. Unfortunately for us, the recent cold temperatures had covered much of those backwaters with a layer of ice which reduced the numbers to 500 or 600. It was still worth the drive and the effort.
Resting and Feeding Swans
What attracts these swans to that area in the abundance of aquatic food necessary to refuel their bodies for the rest of the migration east. The most common food available to fill that need are tubers from the arrowhead plant. Once these tubers are dislodged from the muddy bottom,they float to the surface and are consumed. Sometime they are eaten whole.
10 Point Buck
On the morning of November 14th, I decided to take a two hour hike in Frontenac State Park to the overlook on top of Rattlesnake bluff. After spending 30 minutes marveling at the incredible view of Wacouta and the Head of Lake Pepin from this vantage point, I began my return to the trailhead. To make the return more interesting, I changed my route to include the upper reaches of the south side of the bluff visible from highway 61.
While hiking into the wind, I caught a glimpse of movement in the woods at about 45 yards away. Fortunately I was able to conceal my presence by stepping behind a very large bur oak. With aid from my binoculars, I determined the movement was a respectable 10 point buck.
Two Bucks Fighting
As I was observing this nice buck, a smaller 8 point buck appeared on the scene. After watching them passively feed near each other for over 20 minutes, I was surprised to observe them suddenly lock antlers and commence fighting. Over the years of being out in the woods enjoying the many mysteries of nature, this observation was indeed very special.