As the first vessel of the new shipping season has just passed through the Duluth Ship Canal in Duluth, MN on March 30, 2009, a group of Barrow’s goldeneyes roll with the waves created by the wake of the 519-foot S/S Alpena. The Alpena has arrived with a load of Michigan limestone and is headed for the Cutler-Magner dock in Superior, WI where cement will be made from the cargo. The goldeneyes are part of a much larger contingent of ducks that winter in the open water of the ship canal each year. Much larger than ducks of the similar species locally, these ducks have come from the very far north and usually show up between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year, long after local lakes and rivers have frozen over. The Barrow’s have arrived along with common goldeneyes and mallards, the mallards come as a flock of around 150- 200 at times, the common goldeneyes usually number around 100 or so. The Barrow’s goldeneyes are the smallest in number of these visitors, usually around 15-20. Normally the Barrow’s will winter off the east coast of North America, it’s a treat whenever they make their rare stop here. These migrators will wait until the big river systems they inhabit during the summer months of the Arctic finally freeze over and only then do they grudgingly make their way south to the first open water they find. That usually means the Great Lakes. These Barrow’s goldeneyes are starting to pair up and already, itching to make their spring flight north to areas near Labrador. As soon as the lakes and rivers start to open up in Minnesota and Canada, they’ll be gone.