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!
Black-Billed Magpies
Black-Billed Magpie Range (map courtesy of Cornell’s All About Birds)
Common Loon Families
I just picked up the seventh edition of the National Geographic field guide and the magpie range map has a little blue blob right on the Sax-Zim…first time I’ve seen that.
so beautiful.. just lovethe baby loon swimming with the parent! thank you for sharing
So beautiful and peaceful!!
I enjoy your blog. The magpie sighting is interesting. We have a cabin 10 miles north of Vermilion Bay, Ontario (intersection hwys 17 and 105) and have magpies at our feeder every summer.
Magpies are always seen in Sax-Zim Bog, and others sightings seem to be around the Northland. It really seems like they have expanded their range.
Thrilling!! And a nest!