Wildlife Watching

Probably one of our favorite activities at the log cabin is to watch wildlife. This includes the birds (we have many feeders!), fox, coyote, deer, turkey and more.  In our northern Michigan town you can go to the Pigeon River Forest to try to catch a glimpse of the elk or head over to Gaylord's City Elk Park.

This nature park has a wild herd of elk on about 100 acres. They have been cared for by staff for over 14 years. They have approximately 70 elk and they are magnificent to behold!

Every spring I await the return of the Common Loons. This is one of my favorite birds! I love their complex behavior, their beautiful feathers and the haunting song they make on the lake.  They are the true sound of the north!

Cabin Surprises

If we are strong, and have faith in life and its richness of surprises, and hold the rudder steadily in our hands. I am sure we will sail into quiet and pleasant waters for our old age.
-Freya Stark

First surprise - seeing a fox for the 1st time in my life. She had a few kits with her too. We definitely locked eyes through my cabin window. I bet she could see me smiling....







2nd surprise was having baby Robins hatch in the eaves of our log cabin. Anytime I made a sound on the deck, 3 little heads would pop up looking for food.







And my best surprise........was my Loons coming back to our lake. I believe they are going to try to nest again. And I'm going to do whatever is in my power to help them. I am looking into getting an artificial nesting raft for my Loons as well as buoys to protect them. More on that later......but can you hear my heart singing once again? :-)

Loon family, mallard family and a winner

George was right! I have a Loon's nest at my cabin! They are building a nest right at the end of our unfinished dock. What's ironic is that Greg and I named our cabin the "Loon's Nest." No, not because I wear crazy pajamas and he sings Mexican polka songs all the time, but I'd understand why you would think that! (P.S. George, I believe I have your address so I will send out your Loon card!)

This photo was taken far away because during nesting season, a Loon will abandon its nest if you disturb them. They are finicky little duckies! But, I will be getting out my tripod for my mac daddy lens as well as a video camera. I'm about to be a Loon mama!


Also, Mrs. Mallard has a big brood. She had 11 babies! I think I'm going to call them the Duggar family....

Pure unadulterated joy!

We just got back from the cabin and I had to share this Loon sighting with you! I usually have to go to the neighboring big lake to see the Loons, but now I have my own loons on my little lake heaven. And I haven't told you the best part yet.....

P.S. If someone can guess before midnight tomorrow, I will send you one of my Loon greeting cards as a prize. Must be a U.S. citizen and have a blog. :-)

It's almost time....

My Loons should be back within the next 30 days. I'm so excited! I have to get ready. Get the kayak geared up. Another memory card for my camera. And a bull horn so I can yell at all those boaters and jet skiers who get too close to my Loon babies!



Here's a video so you can hear how beautiful the Loons sound.

Time to breathe

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson



If you're one of the few people who read all my 50 million blogs (Betsy, Leedra, Mildred, Benny & Patsy) - then you know that I've been posting my Loon chick all over the place. The photo above was taken last weekend on my kayak. I was so happy to see this Loon baby grow up successfully in spite of all the dangers it encountered this summer (as do many other loons.)

This Loon was born on a stormy night and its' sibling did not make it. There were predators (eagles, turtles, pikes) and people to avoid and survive. I can't tell you how many jet skiers I yelled at from my kayak to "slow the !@#$ down" - because the baby Loon has a hard time diving down into the water to avoid them. Sometimes in my cabin I would hear the loon's tremolo call and start worrying that he was in trouble. Then I would have Greg launch me in my kayak so I could go check.

But in spite of all of this he made it. I feel like a proud parent that is now able to let their baby go (April, your post on letting your daughter go to college made me think of this!) Until next year when the next set of Loon babies hatch....then the worries start all over again!

I love my Loon stuff!

Slowly but surely, my log home is becoming a "loony bin." I'm trying not to overwhelm the decorating with only loon stuff. But then when I'm out and about - I hear the call of the Loon!


Here's a tapestry I recently picked up at the Call of the Wild Museum in Gaylord, MI.





Here are keys to the loony bin! Ha!





How about a cookie from my Loon cookie jar? By the way, I haven't put any cookies in here yet. Do you have any good cookie recipes you've come across recently?




This photo represents one of nature's miracles. Sometimes at the end of the summer, the Loons will have a social hour and gather on a host lake. It will usually only happen for 1 day. They will swim in synchronized circles - almost like a dance and dip their heads in the water, mimicing each other. The chances of seeing this are pretty rare. Which is why when I witnessed this a few years ago, it became one of the best nature experiences of my life. Have you ever had a moment like this?



In wilderness I sense the miracle of life, and behind it our scientific accomplishments fade to trivia. ~Charles A. Lindbergh, Life, 22 December 1967

I'm going to have Loon babies too!

If you've been a long time reader of my log cabin blog, then you know a few things that I am obsessed about:

1. Log homes (duh!)
2. Kitties and Bernese Mountain Dogs
3. Tree Hugging & nature loving
4. And LOONS!!!

The above photo is of my mama Loon laying on her nest! Her babies will probably hatch this weekend - I am so excited! This nesting raft she is on was crafted by Loon Rangers (and nice friends of mine) to protect them from predators. They typically have 2 babies and when they hatch- they only stay in the nest for one day and then they're off and swimming!

My brood of kids is getting large. Move over Jon & Kate + 8. I propose a new show - Shelley and Greg and their wildlife kingdom! (Greg, I really think we need to add a goat to the mix - what do you think??)

Psst! I pick up Scout tomorrow morning! I'll be sure to post photos tomorrow night!!

Look what I found!

I found my beloved Loon pair this morning! I just had to share this with you today. I kayaked all over a 230 acre lake in order to find these two. It was worth every moment.

Hope you are all having a sunshine filled weekend!

Loony for Loons!

Some of you already know how much I love Loons! It's why I named my log cabin The Loons' Nest. It's why I am collecting Loon decoys. It's why I became a Loon Ranger for my lake. (Yep, I have authority to protect the Loons!) I think nothing exemplifies the call of the wild until you have heard the tremulous wail of the Loon. I am getting anxious for spring which means my beloved Loon pair will be returning. And I have a new pair that landed on my lake this past summer. I plan on being an excellent host for them and will be hopeful for Loon babies!

Here is my Loon decoy that I have placed on my fireplace.




Common Loons are one of the most loving parents you will ever see! When their babies are very young, they will ride on the backs of their parents for protection. Both the mom and dad feed and take care of their babies.


The Common Loon needs a long water runway to take off. It is amazing to watch them run across the lake before they take off to fly.


A few more things about Loons:

• They can weigh 7 to 12 pounds. The male is larger than the female. The male also has a longer bill.
• The Common Loon swims underwater to catch fish to eat. They can dive more than 200 feet to find their food!
• They usually lay 2 eggs.
• If you come upon a Loon in the water and he rises up and does a loud tremolo call, you are too close and you need to back away.
• Never disturb or go near a nesting Loon. They are very sensitive and will abandon their nest and their babies will die.
• Do not use lead sinkers when you fish. If the lead sinker gets lost in the lake and the Loon ingests this, it will die.
  

Misty morning on the lake

One of the best locations we chose for our log home was being on the lake. There's just something so soothing about looking out at the calm water. And of course there's just so many things you can do out on the lake such as kayaking, fishing, swimming and just the observance of wildlife. I've come to realize I prefer the "silent sports" on the lake. My jet ski days are behind me.
This past weekend, we got up early two mornings in a row (no easy feat to wake my snoring husband up!)to experience the morning mist and the quietness around us.



Here the mist is just starting to rise off the lake.














Early morning is the best time to go fishing.















Greg is letting me know where my beloved loons are out on the lake.













Two loons dancing in the mist.

I took about 100 photos of the loons (some of which will be posted on my bird blog this week.)

I never tire of documenting their progress and hearing their haunting call across the lake.

I have my own Loons!

I had been hoping that my male Loon would be able to find a mate on our little lake at the log cabin. Last weekend he did! I believe it is too late in the season for them to have Loon babies but hopefully next summer they will be successful. For more photos and the whole story -please visit my birding blog: www.birdinginmichigan.blogspot.com or click on the title of this post to link you - that's if you like Loons!

Little Bradford Lake

Our log cabin is located on quiet Little Bradford Lake. I love that it is a no-wake lake. I appreciate being able to hear the birds, or swim without being mowed down by a jet ski (that's what the neighboring lake is for - Big Bradford!)

I've been hoping for a Loon pair to come onto our lake - I believe they have enough "runway" to land and take off, the water is clean and there is good fishing too. I've been monitoring the Loon pair on Big Bradford and recently when they chased off a loon invader (see my Territorial Loon post on http://birdinginmichigan.blogspot.com/ )I was so happy to see the invader land on our lake. Please, please stay. You'll like it here! Now you just need to find a mate...

More Log Cabin Friends

As you've probably figured out, every bird or animal I see up at our log cabin immediately becomes my friend! (With the exception of mosquitoes and spiders!) I've really become attached to this Loon pair and kept thinking of how I could help the Loons of Michigan since their population is decreasing. (For some of you who may read my bird blog - sorry for the repeat!) Anyways, long story short - I am now a Loon Ranger with Michigan Loonwatch and will now be watching over and tracking the progress of the Loon pair on a neighboring lake. I have the mama Loon and her 2 babies pictured below.

Sweet little Goldfinch that visits our thistle feeder throughout the day.

Mr. Chipmunk who is coming close to eating out of my hand.