Tag Archives: MN North: NorthStar Lake Region

Suomi Hills Sweetness! (Wildflowers and the Kingbird Family)

Year 9

Each of the last two days found me taking a bicycle ride on Suomi Hills backroad … Itasca County 48. As I have repeatedly noted in this blog over the past several weeks, it is wildflower heaven in the countryside right now. Here are just a few of the wildflowers I saw including hundreds of Minnesota’s State Flower, the Showy Lady Slipper. You will also find an image of the “ghost slipper”! The White Lady Slipper is much more rare, but when you see hundreds of Showys, a Ghost will slip into their midst! I realize many of my readers do not “hang out” in northern Minnesota … thus here is a neat tool for identifying the wildflowers in other parts of the Gopher State.

Underneath the wildflower images are pics of the Eastern Kingbird family. For three years now, kingbirds have nested in a 110 year old logging railroad trestle that snakes across one end of Northstar Lake. I kayaked over from my cabin to visit the young family.

Showy Lady Slippers (including Ghost Lady Slipper)

Black-Eyed Susans and Daisies

Indian Paintbrush

Wild Roses

Eastern Kingbird Family

Delivering a Dragon Fly

Dad is involved with rearing the chicks

Sometimes all children need a “firm word”!

Nature’s App Notifications

Year 9,

Two nights ago I was up at our cabin on Northstar Lake, which is 30 miles north of Grand Rapids, and 100 miles northwest of Duluth. I have Nature 2.0 installed in my brain! What, not an Android or Apple app?! Nope, but my app is even better, and includes notifications which may NOT be turned off. Do you pay attention to nature’s notifications?

About 1:30 am in the morning all the loons on the lake started yodeling. I know from experience that when the loons yodel during the wee hours of the morning, a good northern lights display is often in process. Thus, even though the temperature fell to 41F that night, I threw on a heavy sweater over my pajama tops and walked down to the dock. The loons were correct. While I have seen much better Aurora Borealis displays, it was worth the short walk.

The next morning I found this Common Loon Mom and her nest. It will be fun to see her young. The nest is only 250 yards from our dock.

Pine Island State Forest Fox Kits

Year 9,

At 6:50 am this morning I was introduced to the Pine Island State Forest red fox family. Mom fox watched me for a while, and then decided the big blue machine (my Subaru) on the dirt road was harmless, and she left for the morning hunt. The kits were curious, and often came out from their den area and walked within 5 feet of the car. This magical experience went on for almost 30 minutes. Experiences like this one in the deep boreal forest are why I keep going out day after day. They’re magical.

Mom Red Fox Checking Me Over

Peak-A-Boo Kit!

Taking a Break (after eating daisies!)

Returning to my cabin, Molly and I went out for a pontoon ride. Only 200 yards from our dock, I discovered the Common Loons had moved in next door!

Common Loon on Nest

Finally, the Showy Lady Slippers are blossoming, but I estimate still 5 to 7 days away from peak displays. I have a stretch of road near my cabin where while bike riding I now see thousands & thousands of daisies. and the number of Lady Slippers is easily at least one thousand. There is color in the woods for those that choose to go see it!