I spent the Labor Day Weekend and then some up at my NorthStar Lake cabin which is the southern most body of water in the Hudson Bay Watershed. Although the temperature reached 90F on two different days, this birder proved he was “RAM Tough” by bicycling on each of those two days. This is a personal achievement for me as it was just shy of three years ago I collapsed while trail running due to a misshapen heart valve. I spent 30 minutes on the ground (most of that time passed out) and eventually managed to hike out of the forest … meet the ambulance … followed by open heart surgery.

Rich Hoeg is RAM Tough (end of Suomi Hills Bike Ride this past weekend … found the RAM sign off a truck on the highway towards the end of my ride).

Before taking the pontoon boat out of the water, I visited two local loon families. I was disappointed to not find their juveniles. Normally I would expect the chicks to still be with their parents. Anyhow, the loons were busy preening towards the end of the afternoon. If you look closely at the plumage on their heads you can see the loons are starting to transform into their winter colors (essentially gray and white)

Labor Day itself I took two friends up to Toomey Williams Forest Road in the Pine Island State Forest. My friends were intrigued to see Boreal Forest Bog Habitat! The raptors did not disappoint, including this Red-Tailed Hawk.

Finally as we got near Northstar Lake and drove past the one farm in the area, a family of Black-Billed Magpies made their presence known. The magpies were busy eating at the Roadkill Cafe! Here in northern Minnesota we are at the extreme eastern edge of the magpie’s range. Thus, they are a rare bird unlike out west.

With this post I am officially welcoming Autumn. Here in northern Minnesota the temperature today will top out around 58F, and we have entered meteorological Fall.