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.

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.

Here we see another view of the fog, looking towards what locals would call the "Third Fill."

In freezing conditions, fog can lead to rime frost formation on nearby objects.

A closer look at the rime frost reveals its crystalline structure.

A nearby penisula is home to a nest of eagles. 

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.

Two adult Bald Eagles on their favored perch tree.

Further to the East, we see a small island that Tom tells us has been subject to gradual erosion.

Another digiscope shot, this time of an American Pelican. The bumps on its bill are only present during breeding season.

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