And Our Other National Bird

 As I was getting closer to Fish Point, I saw a flock of turkeys in a field.  Of course I had to stop.

They were far enough away that I don't think they noticed me.

So I was able to get a few shots.

I think this is a young turkey.

A pair of them.

Another shot of the pair.

It is said that Benjamin Franklin proposed that the turkey be our national bird.  I'm not sure if he was serious or not but I've heard that turkeys can be pretty nasty when provoked.  Anyway, it would have been interesting and unique.  I don't think any other country has a turkey as its national bird.

An Eagle on the Saginaw River

 I decided to head up to Fish Point again today.  I thought that I might have better luck finding an owl.  I ended up driving along the Saginaw River into Bay City when I saw something that caught my eye.

There was an eagle on the river.  As I was driving past, I didn't realize that he had food.  I was able to go back to catch him and he was starting to take off.

I think he was having a little trouble with the fish because dropped it shortly after this.

When I got home I saw that it was either a bullhead or catfish.  That might explain the trouble with it.

He was repositioning it.

And then he took off for home.

One more shot.  I saw where he landed but I think I would have needed to blow up my pictures even more.

The Algoma Transport Passing St. Clair

 I did not arrive in Marine City soon enough to catch this ship.

The Algoma Transport was one of the ships that was stuck in the western end of Lake Erie.

They didn't release them today like they did yesterday.

There was a couple of hours between each ship today.

She was heading up to Tunder Bay.

I'm pretty sure this is for layup though.

They might use her for salt though.

I hope not because that typically means a ship is on its last legs.

She does look pretty worse for wear.

It was nice to see her.

A beam shot.

She continues on.

And I leave you with a stern shot.

First the Herbert C. Jackson

 I decided to go boatwatching again today.  There were only two ships that I could catch though.  As they released them with more spacing today.

The Herbert C. Jackson was delivering taconite to the Rouge Steel Mill.

She wasn't one of the ships caught in the ice at the western end of Lake Erie.

She was heading up to Marquette.

I assume that she is going to pick up taconite there.

That means I will probably see her again.

One more shot as she continues from Marine City.

I headed over to St. Clair because I wanted more pictures of her.

I tried a different vantage point.  I was able to get a bow shot.

It was a little warmer today but it was still windy but I'm not sure if it was too windy for my drone.

But I didn't bring my drone with me, so that was kind of a moot point.

I kind of like this shot.

She approaches a beam shot.

A little more.

She cuts a nice profile.

She continues on her way.

She should be in Marquette sometime tomorrow.

And one more shot of her.

A Festively Lit Up Alpena

 After catching the ships, I decided to head up to see if I could see any snowy owls.  I arrived too late to see any and even if I did, I think it was too dark for pictures.  But it wasn't a wasted trip.

I knew that the Alpena was unloading in Essexville.  So after stopping at the snowy owl spot, I headed over to Essexville.

It was dark by the time I arrived but that was fine because it was the holiday lighting of the Alpena that I was interested in catching.

Because the low light capability of this camera is pretty good, I was able to bump the iso up quite a bit to get a decent shot.

A tree that was by the park I was at.

Since I didn't wish everyone a happy holidays, I will do it now.

And Finally the Algoma Transport

 The next ship wasn't quite as close behind.

I was beginning to think that maybe she had stopped for fuel.

But a look at Marine Traffic confirmed that was not the case.

I finally saw her.  So I got out of my car after warming up a little bit.

A head shot.

She is also heading up to Thunder Bay.

I think it might be for layup but again I'm not sure.

It seems like she is one of the ships that Algoma keeps busy during the winter.

I think her holds are treated so that she can carry salt.

Anyway, it was cool to see.

And I like the pinks in the ice.

The almost beam shot.

The beam shot.

And she continues on.