Freighters

Sometimes the freighters are so far out on Lake Huron that the boat is below the horizon but structures that are several stories tall are still visible from shore. Clicking on photos enlarges them. The two small dots near where the sun will be rising are part of a passing freighter.

Before the sun came up this morning, I saw the fore and aft towers of this freighter. I think this might have been the Frontenac. There are lanes for the ships and usually they are much closer to shore. Still, this ship was in American waters. It's a long way to Canada. (I'm used to being only 13 miles from the US/Canadian border. Some of my best memories as an adult are from my Canadian trips.)

This is the website I use to identify the ships that pass: - http://www.n8dnx.org/live-ship-tracking-62/
Very cool!

On the map I'm on the east side of the Thumb south of Harbor Beach north of Port Sanilac half-way between the two of them near Forestville.

It's bitter cold today but thankfully there is only a slight breeze so there's little wind chill. My neighbors are leaving for Arizona soon. They stay long enough to celebrate Christmas and the arrival of the New Year, then off to warmth. I'll hold down the fort! Brrr.

I've taken to feeding the birds with niger (I wonder if that's really thistle seed), sunflower oilers, and seed-filled suet that I buy at Tractor Supply Company. I see many species of birds including red bellied woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, bluebirds (honest!), cardinals, blue jays, pine siskins, chickadees, purple finches, juncos, goldfinches, crows, mourning doves. Most hang around all day.

There are several medium sized nests, probably robin nests, from last summer high in the trees; I've been surprised at how many birds investigate and actually spend some time in those nests; even some species like hole building and nesting species like woodpeckers that don't build open nests. I suppose they provide some protection from the cold and wind. Any port in a storm?