Ma and Pa Merlin were trying their best to ignore the call of the their hungry kids just after sunrise this morning! If you are a parent, you understand. Children DEMAND their breakfast immediately upon waking! Sleeping in is NOT an option. Both parents started hunting shortly after I took the video included with this post.

Over the past ten days or so, I have known there had to be a pair of Merlins nesting somewhere near the mouth of the Lester River. I had seen then hunting on multiple occasions. Yesterday while out on my daily bike ride I heard the chicks twice at the same location (out and back ride up Scenic 61). This morning I returned and found the family.

Merlins Greeting the Morning Sun

Watching Something Fly Overhead (a Bald Eagle?)

Merlins Starting to Hunt

Individual Portraits

The Merlins of Lester River (video)

Molly and I have been holding Gramma and Grampa camp. Our two oldest grandchildren have been visiting, and like good grandparents we look for fun outings. Thankfully the North Shore Scenic Railroad held their first “steam engine weekend” of the season. In addition to taking the kids birding, they got to see the steam engine many times!

Steam Engine Crossing the Sucker River Trestle

Wildflower Steam Engine (lupines)

Chug Chug! Choo Choo! (video)

Finally a photograph from one of our birding excursions … the location is where we found the Merlin. Thank you for the kind comments about “being a good grandfather”. Via my children’s books I hope everyone’s special children are introduced to the outdoors. My third book, Snowy’s Search for Color, just went to the printer on Monday.

Saturday was a magical morning. My good friends Ken and Marcia invited me up to their Northwoods cabin 50+ north of Duluth for a float plane ride. Ken, my pilot, actually got his first plane before had even had a pilot’s license! This gentleman knew he wanted to fly. Given this couple’s love of the outdoors, it was natural that they chose a float plane as this allows easy access to the wilderness of northern Minnesota and NW Ontario.

This post will take you along on our ride. Each video is quite short in duration, but provides a flavor of what is like to fly the skies of the Northland. Should you ever wish a similar experience, their are licensed float plane tour operations that take-off from Sky Harbor Airport out on Minnesota Point (a birding hot spot). Here are a few photos I took which will help set the scene, followed by the videos …

Pre-Flight Check. I was smart enough to stay out of the way!

Taxing for Take-Off

Split Rock Fly-By

Searching for Moose

Hand Cranking the Plane into its Hangar

Our basic route …

Northland Skies (the movies!)

Pre-Flight Check

Taxi and Pre-Flight Check

Take-Off

Split Rock Lighthouse Coastline

Split Rock Lighthouse Fly-By 1

Split Rock Lighthouse Fly-By 2

Lake Superior Coastline (Splitrock State Park)

Heading Inland

7 Beavers Lake and Surrounding Bog Land … Looking for Moose

Landing on Cadotte Lake

Post Flight Fast Taxi

Cranking the Bird into its Nest!

Thanks Ken and Marcia … A Magical Morning!!!