Northstar Lake Happenings

Year 10

The good news is we paid attention to the weather forecasts, and left Northstar Lake for our Duluth area home early. The bad news is the expected storms did track through our cabin’s region with “baseball sized hail” reported near Marcell, Minnesota (courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio … Northstar Lake is only 600 yards from the town of Marcell). Hopefully our cabin was not damaged.

I did get out on the lake one final time to observe the Common Loon breakfast feeding. I hope all my feathered friends on the lake weathered the storms in good shape. Regardless, before the sun retreated and the winds came, the lake was sunny, calm and serene. The photographs are of two families of loons.

Common Loon Family #1

Common Loon Family #2

Northern Waters Reflections: Common Loon

Year 10

After three days of clouds, rain and cool weather, northern Minnesota was showing its finest shortly after sunrise this morning on Northstar Lake. The wind was dead calm which made for fantastic reflections. I first had to wait for the morning mist to burn off before I ventured out on the lake, but then it was a great time to be alive in the crisp, clean beautiful Northland. In total I found three different Common Loon families, and each family unit was willing to let me float nearby and record their morning activities.

The only downer was  one of the three families had obviously lost a chick since Saturday afternoon to predation (Muskies or Bald Eagles were the most likely predators). In fact, when a Bald Eagle flew overhead this morning the loons started a yodel which quickly spread to all the other loons on Northstar Lake. Nature is beautiful, but also cruel.

Killing Time During the Rains

Year 10

While apparently most of the USA is suffering a HUGE heatwave, the exact opposite is true here near the Minnesota border with Canada. I am at my Northstar Lake cabin, and the temperature has difficulty exceeding 60F, and when the intermittent showers come, it gets even cooler … like right now.

This morning I spent four hours in one of my favorite birding areas, Pine Island State Forest including Toomey Williams Road. More beautiful bog habitat one will never see. Sax-Zim Bog pales by comparison. Although I saw lots of birds this morning, very few were willing to pose for my camera with the exception of this Red-Tailed Hawk.

I keep hoping to get out on Northstar Lake and spend time with various Common Loon families, but did I mention the showers?? Here is one pic from two afternoons ago.

The clouds are supposed to clear somewhat (50% overnight). As Ovation Aurora is already quite high, hopefully this forecast will ring true and I will spend some time Northern Lights watching tonight.