Bed and Breakfast | Ely MN | Getaways | Minnesota | Inns

4/26/09- 9/30/10

Young Eagle in nest May 2010

Nov. 22 - more snow, the ice in the bay has almost closed in. Do look at what we see our our windows here by clicking on the bird cam (upper right corner this page). Awesomely beautiful. This morning walking out in the snow after the guests left we marveled at the tracks in the snow telling stories of the night's activities:squirles who must have had square dances, mice and voles hurrying across the path to the next safe 'hole', rabbits seeking goodies, a weasel and a pine martine crossing each others trails and best of all wolf tracks that looked as if it was out exploring the safety of the ice - it was, but I wouldn't go out and neither did Sam-dog.

Nov. 15 - A good 4" of snow - the roofs are bandaged and the trees coated. Wonderland. So interesting to see the stories tracked in the fresh snow from over night. We got most of the wood under cover before the snow. The sauna sooths aching backs and in the end we feel very satisfied. But why do we have this push every year?Nov. 9 - A Sept- like day! We are going out canoeing every day we can fit it in - for fear that each day will be the last. Saw a brown-white bunny, they aren't fooled by the sunshine. Wolf still leaving his calling cards in the driveway.Nov. 3 - 3rd day in a row of early morning temps in the low 20's. Ice on the cove, bird bath doesn't thaw all day. Are we ready for this?Oct. 23 - The Evening Grossbeaks are here in large flocks mobbing the feeders. They jocky for space with the BlueJays. One lone Grackle left. First Goldfinches here, females always arrive first. The Junco's are already moving on. There is a wolf hanging around - at least one, but the pack is sizable now. Also sounds that could only be a moose. We are seeing the otters nearly every morning as they feed in the cove. Snow clouds the last two days..as the temperatures are regularly below freezing at sunrise. Great Sauna weather.

Oct. 3 - Incredibly lucious day! Leaves drifting down, sky SO blue. The tamaracks are already turned!! way early - like 3 weeks.

Oct. 11 - Trees bare now, leaves underfoot - love walking thru this. Three young loons practicing take off as we ate breakfast. Evening Grossbeaks returned in large numbers, their songs wonderful to hear again. Last crop of young squirrles have matured, their tails now fluffed out. Lake has begun turning over. Hurrying to get the winters' wood put up along with the squash and last apples.

Oct. 1 - First Snow Buntings skittering along the road, first Junco! Blue Jay's are dominating the feeders. Enjoying antics of young red squirrles as they callenge the Jays - and the older squirrles. With the help of a guest we identified Brewers Black Birds at our feeders.

Sept. 30 - Sun! welcome after 3 days of rain and wind. Color still fantastic. I know I say it every year.
Sept. 26 - Incredible color, more intense than anyother year. This morning at 7 AM it was 28' . Sam-dog scared away a bear from the deck.
Sept. 14 - the fall color is filling in all around us. Chilly nights! Campfires almost every night now. Fresh bear droppings in the driveway!! Sam-dog was telling us there was a bear around.
Sept. 12 - maples are getting lovely, lots of bears reported in town gardens.
Sept. 8 - first frost forcast for tonight. Been 38' last three nights, but great days. The ferns have turned brown - a sure sign of Fall. Some birch and aspen are already golden.
Sept. 2 - tragedy sometime in the last 2 weeks. We were no longer seeing the adult bald eagles. A neighbor reported that they had seen and adult eagle dead in the nest - feathers flapping in the wind. Have since seen one of the youngsters, big & lively but cautious, hanging around the nest.
Aug. 21 - first red maple leaves!!! right on schedule. We have an adolescent downy woodpecker with an attitude. She takes on all the bigger birds. One harried Evening Grossbeak, male, with two demanding youngsters, trying to feed them at the same time. No sign of a female. Eagles doing well. Almost daily sightings of fresh bear poop and wolf poop.
Aug. 11 - Breakfast entertainment: A BlueJay was sitting on one of the feeders. a Grackle came up behind it - Blue Jay didn't move over. Grackle goosed the Jay!!! who jumped but didn't leave the platform. Grackle retreated to a branch now waiting his turn. Fresh bear poop on the driveway frequently now. Full of undigested blueberries so they are absolutely gorging themselves!
July 30 - The eaglets are as big as turkeys now! Blueberries just beginning to fade. Almost daily sightings of a doe and two small fawns near the end of the driveway.
July 23 - Wonderful days. The eagle chicks (like big chickens now) are feldged and speniding days at the campsite across from the nest. The loon chicks are now diving. We've been picking tons of blueberries and they just keep coming! Raspberries still ripe too. Wildflowers fully in bloom. Revision of our air conditioning now complete and working!!! Ted is coming back to the dining room starting tomorrow! Welcome chef Ted. We will now have two fine chefs to serve our wonderful dinners.
July 1 - guests spotted the loon with a pair of chicks! wild roses in bloom. lots of reports of blueberries. Eating wild strawberries!
June 25 - Butter 'n eggs, one of jo's favorite flowers along the gravel road. Picking wild strawberries! even some blueberries over a month early. The blue flag iris dominate the marsh - an acre of them! Fishing continues good, one of the guests cast his line and hooked - a dragonfly - who promptly attracted a pike.
June 20 - May flowers and Canada May flowers fringe the paths. The young eagles are lusty, a young blue heron was spotted on So. Farm; loons and a beaver came right up to the canoe. All just a five minute paddle away. What a wonderful place to live.
June 7 - Fishing off the dock continues to supply Tasha and Derek with evening meals. May flies are also feeding the fish.
May 30 - Bunchberries all in bloom, wild honeysuckle, lots more strawberries. And the sand flies arrived. Lots of new warblers.
May 28 - Jo's Mom died this afternoon - just 32 days short of 103 years . Peacefully . Jo will have to completely recenter her life after 6 years of caregiving.
May 18 - Humming birds arrived! Chestnutsided warbler sighted.
May 14 - Rain wonderful Rain! First Rosebreasted Grossbeaks, two Mallard drakes doing a courtship dance at the beach - Two Cooper's Hawks hit the windows this last week. White Throated Sparrow is doing battle with his image in the window for hours every day!

May 9 - Mother's Day with sunshine! on our after breakfast hike - lasting only about 1/2 hr. - with guests using one of the trails from our parking lot we saw: new tree cut down by beaver, shell debris left behind from the otters' dinner, wolf tracks, multiple areas where the bear had been foraging for grubs and along the shore clumps of mud and rotting vegetation that had been scooped up from tunder the water - probably a bear. Derek reports that the eagle is still sitting on their nest, there may well be young ones in the nest, he just could not see or hear them.

May 8- Snow last night, woke up to a dusting on the garden and grassy areas. Near 20 degrees last night.

May 5 - Woke to a thick coating of ice over all those lovely blossoms. A Gosshawk hit the window breaking its neck. Feel so bad. Bird cam not working, some electronic glich.

May 3 - First strawberry blossoms, first June berry blooms, Tamarack are in bloom. Chipping Sparrows back.

April 21 - Eagle eggs must have hatched, we are seeing constant foraging flights over us. Aspen and birch trees have green buds, maples are in full flower. This is all over a month early.

April 16 - peeper frogs in full throat last evening.

April 14 - heard the first Loon.

April 11- Northern Lights!

April 7 - watching the eagles sit on their nest while camping on South Farm. Just barely above freezing but awesome. eggs should hatch by mid April.

April 4 - ICE OUT! weeks early, surely a record. Gulls, Black-hooded Merganzer, White Breasted Nuthatch, Juncos by the dozen. The air is filled with birdsong; they are all exchanging stories of their winter vacation I think.

April 1 - first robin, purple finches came a few days ago, Buffle Head and Mallard ducks. Ice breaking up rapidly, should be gone in 2, 3 days. Still warm and sunny.

April 30- Woke up to more rain for the second day! What a joy. Things are really budding along up here. I also spotted a hawk owl yesterday.

April 27 - our new 'bird cam' is up and operating as of today! When ever you need a dose of the northwoods you can see the lake, shore, trees, deck, sunset, sunrise, birds and of course squirles. Look at the top right corner of the home page. I gives you the link and the passwords.

April 25 - leaf out on the aspen! First blue heron. Still no rain. The fire danger is so high it is positively scarry. Our wildfire (outdoor) sprinkler system is now working, what a good investment that was.

April 21 - Eagle eggs must have hatched, we are seeing constant foraging flights over us. Aspen and birch trees have green buds, maples are in full flower. This is all over a month early.

April 16 - peeper frogs in full throat last evening.

April 14 - heard the first Loon.

April 11- Northern Lights!

April 7 - watching the eagles sit on their nest while camping on South Farm. Just barely above freezing but awesome. eggs should hatch by mid April.

April 1 - first robin, purple finches came a few days ago, Buffle Head and Mallard ducks. Ice breaking up rapidly, should be gone in 2, 3 days. Still warm and sunny.

March 29 - visit from a bear last night, Sam kept him away. Poor bear was only trying to cross over without using the highway.

March 26 - first red winged blackbird! now the singing will pick-up.

March 25 - Last night the lake ice was booming and groaning - making new ice. Full moon coming up.

March 20 - goldfinches are getting their spring colors. Deer grazing on

the septic mound. But cold weather returns.

* March 13 - long walk on the ice, black ice scarry looking but is 18" thick in most places, 15" in the chanel. Marvelously crystalized.
* March 13 - just before breakfast we all saw a yearling wolf cross in front of the dining room window about 100 ft. away, Sam-dog wisely hid by the kitchen door.
* March 7 - guest had a close encounter with a deer fleeing a wolf on South Farm Lake, the deer came within 3 ft. of where they were sitting. Wolf angled itself away a bit. Once in a lifetime! No wolf kill in the area over the next few days so the deer got away.
* March 6 - guest saw 3 wolves on So. Farm while skiing before breakfast. They've been singing nightly, mating time for them. Both eagles have been sighted in the last week. Also mating time.
* Feb. 25 - more Northern Lights, wolves howling!
* Feb. 8 - Red Fox crosses the driveway in front of my car. They are breeding now. Lots of wolf tracks on the lake.
* Jan. 26 - Northern Lights! incredibly bright in the east (!) and faint streaks in the north. We had just come out of the sauna. Fantastic.
* Jan 18 - spotted the local adult eagle again, just watching as we walked by, it sure had its eye on Sam-dog.
* Jan. 17 - while enjoying breakfast with guests a BIG wolf walked across our view, stopped and sat a few minutes then went on into the woods. Mild weather, lovely walking. Incredible stars.
* Dec. 31 - cold,clear and crisp and a grogeous full moon. A post dinner walk out onto the lake was the highpoint of the evening.
* Dec. 27 - time for snowshoes now. Hiked over the lake to the eagles' nest. No sign of activity what so ever. An overcast day, it was like being in an Ansel Adams photo.
* Dec. 26 - the big storm of the last few days was a fizzle up here, just what Jo predicted because the birds were still around - they always leave before a storm. Today it is snowing heavily. We are seeing more wolf tracks on the lake than deer tracks, one came thru the parking lot, triggering the motion lights, and was seen by guests.
* Dec. 21 - temperatures have moderated and are rising! New snow for Christmas. Incredibly beautiful out there.
* Dec. 8 - another 20' below zero night - walking on the lake in the morning, Sam-dog is in heaven!
* Dec. 7 - YES! the lake is frozen over! should be walkable by the 9th
*Dec. 1 Lake still not frozen over, but coming soon. snow for the last two days. I think this time it may stay...we were walking on the ice this time last year!
* Oct. 10 - Yesterday was the best of a Northern Fall day!! and this morning we woke to an inch of snow on the ground! 10 AM still com.ing, wind blowing and 24 degrees.
* Oct. 6 - leaves are at peak color! Maples still so red, birch so yellow! the pictures don't do it justice.
* Oct. 3 - Aspen & Birch are finally turning, peak may be this coming week.
* Sept. 30 - first hard frost. 31' at 8 AM. Young eagles feeding themselves now.
Sept. 9 - Red in the maple leaves arrived last night. Young eagles soaring!
* Aug. 13 - Adolescent loons are rafting together, fall is about to arrive.
* Aug. 2 - Both eagle chicks (25 lbs at least by now) did survive and now have fledged! They are hanging around the nest area, spending nights there, parents still feeding them.
* July 10 - Loon chick hatched! a very late bird, they lost 1st nest.
* May 27 - Trees fully leafed out.
* April 26 - Ice out! On our first paddle we discovered that a pair of eagles had made a nest on an island in South Farm. We, and our guests, have a front row seat. Eagles typically use a nesting site for 50+ years.