Tag Archives: Mississippi River

COLVILL BAY – Red Wing, MN #exploremn

Image January 27, 2019 Dan Traun 2 Comments

COLVILL BAY

After missing sunrise and quick drive down the lake and back I stopped in to Colvill Bay. Per usual this time of year, there was a flurry of activity. Ducks in the water and eagles flying overhead and perched in trees.

I was greeted right away by a mature eagle perched close by. The snow was falling pretty good at this point; it sat there eye-balling the ducks below.

There were quite a few very active eagles there this morning. As I was shooting, a poker theme emerged.

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1634 — 4 of a kind

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1636 — A pair

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1682 — A full house

It was tough shooting with the steam rising off the water and snow falling from above.

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1638 — Joker

It is always interesting to see what variety of ducks will be in the bay.

Nature, Photography

GO ANYWAY – Don’t trust a forecast #sunrise

Image January 27, 2019 Dan Traun

GO ANYWAY

I know better. When in doubt…go anyway. Even in sub-zero weather. You can always go back home.

This last Friday I looked at the forecast and figured I should pass based on the cloudy forecast and pending snow. The Photographer’s Ephemeris Skyfire, however, was predicting a good sunrise.

I elected to sleep in. By the time I woke up and looked outside it way beyond sunrise and it looked like I missed a good one despite the forecast.

By the time I reached Bay City, the snow clouds were moving in and the sun was barely visible.

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1613 — Bay City

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1612 — Bay City

I drove to Maiden Rock to see how the ice looked there. The ice heaves are nothing closed to what they have been in years past. I stopped by the Warrentown Coulee Wayside before Maiden Rock to capture the wide-open vastness from that location.

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1620 — Warrentown Coulee Wayside

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1621 — Maiden Rock

Lots of ice fisher people. The clouds were closing in and the light fading fast. It didn’t take long for the sun to disappear altogether. By the time I arrived back at Bay City is was almost a complete white-out.

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1624 — Bay City

2019-01-26 Bay City, Maiden Rock & Birds-1623 — Bay City

Destination, Photography

NO SUNSHINE WHEN THERE IS FOG – Bay City, WI #freezingfog

Image December 14, 2018 Dan Traun 2 Comments

NO SUNSHINE WHEN THERE IS FOG

There was no sunshine at sunrise this a.m. I did catch a little bit of sun two hours after sunrise when it began to filter through the heavy fog and clouds.

Destination, Nature, Photography, Travel, Wildlife

BARN BLUFF – Red Wing, MN #exploremn

Image July 29, 2018 Dan Traun 1 Comment

BARN BLUFF

Barn Bluff is a bluff along the Mississippi River in Red Wing, Minnesota, United States. The bluff is associated with Dakota legend from hundreds of years ago. During the 19th century, the bluff functioned as a visual reference for explorers and travelers. The bluff overlooks the downtown area and towers about 400 feet above the Mississippi River with an extensive view of Lake Pepin to the south. It is one of hundreds of bluffs in the Driftless Area, which covers parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois, in addition to the southeastern toe of Minnesota. -wikipedia

Barn Bluff aka Mount La Grange and He Mni Can, is 3100′ long, 800′ wide, 334′ above the river and 1001′ above sea level. There are two main lookouts (red dots) on either end of the bluff; both equally spectacular. The main trailhead can be accessed on the East side; off of East 5th Street (blue dot). See Map for trail details. More info on Barn Bluff here. If you even find yourself in Red Wing, plan on spending a couple of hours hiking the bluff; you won’t be disappointed.