Trumpeter swans
I have to confess that on this sunny, calm, blue sky day I had to celebrate Spring. I found Donna free and we went to see the swans like she’s been wanting to do but I’ve had deadlines to meet. 
River otterWe went to the usual swan spot east of Ely where a river opens early and wildlife gathers. On the way, a bald eagle flew over but was gone before I could stop for a picture against the blue sky. At the river, seven trumpeter swans and several Canada geese rested and preened while goldeneye ducks actively dove for food. Most fun was watching an otter far up the river rolling in snow on the ice and sometimes just resting before heading back to the water and disappearing.
In the tippy top of a red pine, a crow ate over 20 beakfuls of snow before a raven flew close and the crow took flight.
 Crow |
 flying away |
 Bohemian waxwing |
A flock of Bohemian waxwings were flitting about, the first I’ve seen this winter, but they refused to sit for a picture. The one in flight shows the bright yellow tip of the tail and the yellow edging on a wing.
Birch w/snow and iceAt the cabin, I noticed a bigger reason than snow that drove the redpolls back here to sunflower seeds. As the snow melted on the upper branches of birches, I saw that the branches, including the catkins they eat, were coated with ice. It’s hard to see the ice in the picture. It glistened more in life than I captured in the picture.
The gull was back for a picture of its eyes so I could check for identifying dots on the irises. It got pieces of bologna as a reward.
Herring gullSuddenly, with a group and two others having to cancel from the Black Bear Field Courses, we suddenly have 5 openings in Class Two that starts on July 11 and 2 openings in Class Three that starts on July 18. Lodging limitations limits availability to women for these openings. E-mail Judy Thon at
Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center