Yesterday morning shortly before 6 am I took the pontoon boat out for a cruise on Northstar Lake. This body of water is 60 miles south of the Canadian border in northern Minnesota, and is the southernmost lake of the Hudson Bay Watershed. It is also my little part of paradise. The lake is very wild, and this 30 second video takes place in a channel near my cabin between two sections of the lake (email subscribers video link).
Luckily by being out early I beat the Canadian forest forest fire smoke which rolled into the area a few hours later. For me it was dead calm and perfect photographic conditions. While checking upon two Common Loon families, I heard a very rare bird song … Black-Billed Magpies. While magpies are common in the western states, they are extremely rare in my area … even more so in the Boreal forest. I discovered a nest!
They’re back! Like a herd of dust in a cloud to turtles! I had been hoping the Great Horned Owl owlets would return to my favorite pine grove. As a reminder, I have been following the parents for three years, and each of the past two summers the owl family has moved back to my favorite pine grove for July and August. I had always felt the move corresponded to other birds fledging and thus prey opportunities had changed. Young Robins, Grackles, Flickers, Blue Jays and Crows are now great targets for young owls learning how to hunt.
Thus, this morning I was hiking by 5:30 am, and was shortly rewarded by spotting two owlets sitting within inches of each other. Although the photography conditions were still somewhat dark in the pine grove, I set the ISO high on my camera. For some strange reason, I could not get a focus lock. Yup, good photographers make dumb mistakes, and I made two such mistakes this morning.
My lens was still set to manual focus (moon photography a few days ago)
Above problem now being solved … while moving to a better vantage point … crack … I stepped on a dry stick. I know better. While my owls put up with me being close, they hate loud unexpected noises like a stick breaking. Both owlets flew off immediately.
After 30 minutes additional hiking I located the third owlet with some thanks to the local robin population which were clucking like crazy and helped me locate junior. Here are two images.
A wood duck family I found just after sunrise yesterday morning. The sun is very low in the sky, making me almost invisible to the duck family. The sun was directly behind me back. In the second photo, something caught the duck family’s attention, but I personally had no idea at what they all were looking.
Finally, here are two short videos taken over the past few days … the wood duck family and the Common Loon on its nest. (video links for email subscribers … wood ducks … common loon).
Apparently yesterday’s post was popular. I heard from many of you via the comments, or privately. A rather large number of folks know the song My Paddle is Keen and Bright. This fact is not surprising.
While I normally do not post family photographs on my blog, I’ve decided to make an exception. This small Northwoods cabin was a major purchase for a young couple many years ago. Molly and I have never regretted spending the money. Our cabin is the kind of place most folks do not think still exists … small, cozy and warm. We do have running water pumped out of the lake, and a 1950’s era white GE refrigerator, but no microwave, TV, and heat other than a wood stove. In short Northstar Lake, “Hoeg Hollow”, is one of those special spots where families recharge and experience the passing of the years.
Molly kayaking under the Northern Lights
Three princesses and a ninja in front of the outhouse (all grandkids)
A selfie … watching last summer’s comet
The cabin …
Molly swimming with the loons …
Family boat rides … Spot and Cyrus. Spot was my fishing buddy for many years. She is buried at the cabin.
Magic nights … Milky Way overhead
Winter … wood stove heat … use the outhouse … running water is me (Dad) drilling hole with manual ice auger 200 yards offshore and “running” it back up to the cabin in buckets pulled on a sled.
