Gray Treefrog

Gray Treefrog Hyla versicolor

  Almost forgot about this wee fella, discovered at the top of Mount McKay outside Thunder Bay, in mid-August.
  Haven't really gone birding since my return from the TCBO. This time last year I was having a solid month in Suncheon, with Eastern Water Rail, Grey-headed Lapwing, et al. The time, she flies when you're glued to the couch, writing stuff.

Mother Superior

Early autumn crew getting survival suited up in Silver Islet

Leaving Silver Islet (Blue building is the 1870's-vintage general store)

The skiff boys blast past

Passing T Harbour on the 'other side' of The Sleeping Giant

Approaching the tip of the Sibley Peninsula

A Korean-style boat totem I made at the boat launch

Low scud

'Who's checking ground traps?'

White squall

Sailboat race coming past Thunder Cape

The Berserker bros lose a sail

The Red-tailed Hawk and The Berserker jockey

An RCMP skiff patrols the border

My favourite of the lakers - The Cuyahoga (built in 1943)

Some young adventure dude

Lake Guardian - very Steve Zissou

Superior waves

  
  "But I told that kid a hundred times, don't take the lakes for graaaaanted, they go from calm to a hundred knots so fast they seem enchaaaaaanted!"
  The lyrics to White Squall by Stan Rogers rang true a few times during my TCBO tenure, and Nick and I surely pissed everyone off ( > a few times) by singing it at the top of our lungs. We kept accidentally referring to Lake Superior as 'the sea', because when the breakers are rolling in, it's hard to think of it as a mere lake.
  The occasional passing boats made us feel a bit less isolated, and it broke up the monotony of the slow days ('Try to get them to wave back!'). I hated being in the skiff, and was out in it one day in some pretty terrifying seas. Not seas. Terrifying lakes? Lake waters? Big fuckin' waves, in any case.
  The massive old Edmund Fitzgerald-ish lakers were always fun to watch. When they passed at night it looked like a city was drifting by.

Humzees of TCBO

Ruby-throated Hummingbird checking out a net tie

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

  There were a few Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, or Humzees, as Nick dubbed them, kicking about the TCBO's two feeders on a daily basis. They had a habit of vizzing to Pie Island in the rain, when no other birds were out besides the Hergs, Pergs, and Mergs. Their spirited light-sabre duels were always well-watched and entertaining bouts.
  Currently working hard on finishing 'The Book', and also on regaining a belt loop I lost at TCBO. I'll find it.