Another cabin season has started, and we are at our small northwoods cabin near the Canadian border. We are north of the Laurentian Divide. Thus, our water flows up to Hudson’s Bay. Given ice-out was only a little over two weeks ago, the water is very cold, and the birds seem to be a bit behind in starting their nests.

Two of my favorite Northstar Lake birds are Bald Eagles and Common Loons. We have a pair or each species which nest within 600 yards of the cabin. Surprisingly, even through loons fear eagles, the loons always nest right underneath the white pine where the eagles call home … thus strange bedfellows. This is our 30th summer season, and this odd nesting arrangement has been present every year.

Bald Eagle on Northstar Lake

Common Loon (and tons of black flies)

In this second photo, I finally realized after all these years that the loon’s neck band does not completely circle its neck. One is always learning something new!