Lake Harriet

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:37:08 -0600

Gray, low clouds, planes low and noisy. Mallards and coots near the south shore; raft of gulls in the middle of the lake. Green algae along the shore thickening and turning to turquoise in large patches, mostly along the south shore.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:40:08 -0600

Cloudless, haze on the horizon. Mallards and coots near the south shore. Lake lower; distinct rim of algae close to the shore, staining the mud green. Large flock of gulls floating in the middle of the lake. Bald eagle perched for some time on top of (unlit) flood light next to the path behind the band shell, about fifty feet off the ground, watching the lake and attracting more than a dozen people. Two fishing boats on the water, one nearby. Hundreds of gulls rise and fly north towards Lake Calhoun. Crescent moon brightening in the dusk.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:28:57 -0600

Cloudless, some haze near the horizon; amber sun; breeze from northeast. Two fishing boats on the water. A few mallards along the south shore, some coots to the west; a few gulls over the water near the band shell; more than a dozen geese build a V and fly north towards Lake Calhoun, followed by two sets of stragglers. Suspended green algae forming close to the shore.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:07:20 -0600

Sunny, cloudless; light breeze. White rowboat on the water. A few mallards.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:46:26 -0600

Leaden sky, thickening damp. Coots and mallards, and one fishing boat.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:32:25 -0600

Gray cloud cover, faintly pink to the south; good wind from the south. Mallards and coots in the lee of the wind; waves in the open water.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:48:41 -0600

Vanishing sunlight, overcast, breeze from the south. Mallards, coots; large raft of gulls in the middle of lake, bright in the sunlight, then almost invisible.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:12:47 -0600

Sunny, some haze around the low orange sun, blue sky, light breeze from the south. Mallards, coots; fisherman in a canoe, two in a fishing boat, more on the shore near the band shell. Busy paths; sunlight doubled along the western shore. Lake edge beginning to be exposed, but creek still running well.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:49:29 -0600

Only a few long streaks of cloud, west to east; sky blue, pink, and orange in the afterglow. Solitary least grebe near the south shore, diving. Coots and mallards. Loon off the western shore, diving. Hundreds of gulls clustered and landing in the middle of the lake. Two helicopters hovering high and soundless over the south shore, lights shining.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:12:56 -0600

Some slanting sunllght between broken stratus clouds; breeze from the east. Fishermen in a canoe and two boats, also on shore near the band shell. Mallards, coots, gulls. Paths busy.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:31:00 -0600

Bright sun, almost cloudless; hardly a breeze. Least grebe alone near south shore; coots and mallards near the fishing dock at the southwest--now adrift in the water, as is the other dock on the north shore. Stand of milkweed on the north shore glistens in the sunlight. Creek down almost a foot, but still running well, and floating mallards.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:39 -0600

Gray sky, light breeze from southwest. Coots scattered along southern shore; a few gulls; eagle flying along the northern shore away to the east. A dozen mallards on the high creek.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:23:37 -0600

Gray, chilly, rain; good breeze from the southeast. Mallards, coots, and a pair of least grebes near the southern shore. Two fishing boats on the water.

Monday, November 2, 1009

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:16:43 -0600

Clear sky, few clouds at the horizon, sun bright but low, strong wind from the west. Coots in the lee of the wind, a few mallards; hundreds of gulls in the middle of the lake. One fishing boat; a sailboat capsizes near the southeast shore, attracting police cars, fire trucks, and an ambulance. Creek running full.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:45:50 -0600

Blue sky, a few clouds, weak sunlight, mild breeze from the south. Red kayak on the water. Diffuse groups of coots; two separate pairs of least grebes near the south shore. Bald eagle flying along the the north shore from west to east. Creek high, floating half a dozen mallards.