Two mornings ago I hiked into the Joyce Estate in northern Minnesota. This beautiful northwoods getaway was a wedding present from a lumber baron to his new bride back in the earlier part of the 1900’s. The estate was over 6,000 acres of forest with 26 miles of shoreline on 11 lakes! Molly and I are writing and photographing an article for a regional magazine about this wilderness area.

While taking photographs, I heard lots of loons out on the lake. In fact (I counted), I saw 34 loons in a loose flock herding whitefish towards an underwater island! I have never seen this many loons at once, and I suspect these individuals were either already migrating south from points north, or will soon be starting their trip. (video link for email subscribers)

Here are three photographs of a Northstar Lake Loon which performed for me yesterday! It had just finished preening. Notice how its plumage is changing to its “drab winter look.” The final image is of its youngster, now truly a juvenile.

Finally, I drove over to the Bog this morning. While I did not see any owls, this Ruffed Grouse gritted up very near me.