First loon sighting on the Gunflint Trail

Spring is a time for “firsts.” The first pussy willows, robins or open water all add to the excitement that spring is really here. It takes a lot of convincing since we woke up to a white deck once again. As a side note, mud season is the longest season at the end of the Gunflint Trail and it couldn’t be over soon enough for me.

Last night I took a walk and found a patch of open water. This time of the year there isn’t much open water so it’s a great opportunity to see wildlife. I was treated to the sighting of my first loon, several ducks and a beaver who put on a little show of hopping up onto the ice and then jumping back into the water. I have a bad photo of the loon and the beaver in the same frame and a video of the beaver swimming around. The loon is in the top right corner of the photo and I thought you might enjoy it.