Grey Cloud Island photo essay
FMR member Tom Bell recently shared with us some beautiful photos of the Grey Cloud Island area of the Mississippi River near Cottage Grove.
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In this area of Grey Cloud, a culvert drains into the river creating enough current to maintain an area of open water. Cold air passing over the warmer water results in the fog we see here.
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Here we see another view of the fog, looking towards what locals would call the "Third Fill."
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In freezing conditions, fog can lead to rime frost formation on nearby objects.
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A closer look at the rime frost reveals its crystalline structure.
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A nearby penisula is home to a nest of eagles.
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In warmer times, Tom captured this shot of a Bald Eagle feeding its eaglet in the nest pictured above. This shot made use of the digiscoping technique, in which a digital camera is coupled to a spotting scope.
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Two adult Bald Eagles on their favored perch tree.
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Further to the East, we see a small island that Tom tells us has been subject to gradual erosion.
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Another digiscope shot, this time of an American Pelican. The bumps on its bill are only present during breeding season.