Bear

Saturday while on our way to my parent house we saw two black bear club and their mother along the road.  The mother stayed back in the woods further but she didn't let the little guys out of her sight.  I can honestly say these are the first bears that I have gotten the chance to photograph.  I was so excited and a little scared.

Northwoods Black Bear Cub

Northwoods Black Bear Cub

Northwoods Black Bear Cub

Northwoods Black Bear Cub

Saw-whet Owl

The Northern Saw-whet Owl is a very small, short-bodied, Owl with a relatively short tail. The overly large head has no ear tufts and may appear distorted due to an asymmetrical skull. They look small when perched and tend to shuffle their feet, but in flight appear larger because of their broad wings.

The facial disk has brownish and whitish radials around the edge, which fade to a whitish area around the eyes. There is also a dark area from the base of the bill to the bottom inside edge of each eye. The rest of the head is brownish to grey-brown and densely covered with white streaks, especially on the forehead. The eyes are large and bright yellow-orange. The bill is black.

Plumage is quite fluffy and brownish or reddish brown overall streaked with white underneath and spotted on the back. Flight feathers are spotted white. The legs and feet are light buff and heavily feathered. The toes are lightly feathered and the claws are dark horn with blackish tips.

Blue Skies and Open water

Looking forward to opening weekend of fishing?  Lets hope the ice goes out on the lake before then.  Here is a look forward (hopefully) to blue sky and open water.

Blue Skies of the Northwoods

Blue Skies of the Northwoods

Blue Skies of the Northwoods

Spring Owl

We spotted this little guy while collecting sap, one of the guys with us said it was a Saw-whet Owl. The scientific description of one of the sub-species of this owl is attributed to the Rev. John Henry Keen who was a missionary in Canada in 1896. Adults are 17–22 cm (6.7–8.7 in) long with a 42–56.3 cm (17–22.2 in) wingspan. They can weigh from 54 to 151 g (1.9 to 5.3 oz) with an average of around 80 g (2.8 oz), making them one of the smallest owls in North America. In relative size to other owls they are close to the size of an American Robin.

Vintage Sun Set

These are the first of the vintage scans I borrowed from my dad's collection.  He likes to paint and took a lot of scenery pictures that he wanted to paint but never got around to it.  I am not sure exactly when or way they were taken but I know they were in northern Wisconsin.

Northwoods sunset

Northwoods sunset

Northwoods sunset

Northwoods sunset

Northwoods sunset

Northwoods sunset

Northwoods sunset

More Porcupine

The porcupine is the prickliest of rodents, though its Latin name means "quill pig." There are about two dozen porcupine species, and all boast a coat of needle-like quills to give predators a sharp reminder that this animal is no easy meal. Some quills, like those of Africa's crested porcupine, are nearly a foot (30 centimeters) long.

Northwoods Porcupine

Northwoods Porcupine

Northwoods Porcupine

Northwoods Porcupine

On the water at night

A look back to warmer weather.  These shots of from this past summer.  I know when the sun sets the bugs tend to get worse but I enjoy the cool night air and being out on the water.

On the Lake at Night

Sunset n the Lake at Night

Sunset n the Lake at Night

Leaves left in Winter

 Not all of the leaves managed to fall before the snow fell, these few have hung in there until the bitter end. 

Winter Leaves

Snowy Leaves

Northwoods winter

Close up northwoods

Northwoods winter scene

Snow Fall in Forest

The snow is melting now but these are a few shots from before it started to turn ito 'snirt' as my mother calls it. 

Northwoods winter

Northwoods winter

Northwoods winter

Northwoods winter