While riding on mom’s back in the warm comfort of her wings, two of the three Grebe chicks stretch their black and white striped heads toward dad waiting to be fed from whatever he found while diving in the weeds at the bottom of the lake. Although the chicks can swim and dive themselves, they [...]

The pair of Tree Swallows nesting in the box on the birch tree are almost always in constant motion now, it is hard to catch a photo because when one returns the other flys out in a blink of the eye. I hear chirping from the nest, I’m guessing the eggs started hatching Tuesday, June [...]

Last year we noticed our first Rednecked Grebe chicks around July 1, that means we might see babies soon. With the nest located next to our dock, we should have ringside seats. Well, it rained hard all day long Monday June 23 so we didn’t get outdoors, but the partly sunny skies on Tuesday June [...]

The mama Grebe with a nest next to the dock is incubating four eggs.  She is patient, and doesn’t seem concerned when we walk to and fro.  She sits there and watches, very alert but not alarmed.  Occasionally she will swim a short distance from the eggs and on her return will carefully check each [...]

I’m greatly skeptical that this Rednecked Grebe nest will be productive. It is ten feet from our dock between our neighbor’s dock and float plane. It is just about as busy a place you can find. The birds abandon the nest when we use the dock and are very agitated. Silly birds, a quiet cove [...]

The weather is warm late this year, with the exception of a one week cold snap in early October daytime temperatures were still 40Ëš fahrenheit until the first of November. The first thin sheet of ice covered the lake on November 3 but with temperatures back to 38Ëš on November 5, most of the lake [...]

As soon as it was light enough to see we found all six Trumpeter Swans feeding near the shore next to our dock.  They stayed until human activity disturbed them, then swam away to a quieter spot.

Late in the afternoon the phones were ringing around the lake spreading the news that six Trumpeter Swan landed and were cruising the shoreline.  All eyes were glued to windows watching these gorgeous creatures!  As evening approached the swans settled comfortably in our cove, feeding and resting.

The other evening while entertaining guests, one of whom is an avid birder and wildlife biologist, I alerted everyone to watch a flight of Trumpeter Swan approaching overhead. Much to our guests delight the magnificent white birds flew across the sky perfectly framed by our big view windows, very low and easy to see. Our [...]

Today is gray, blustery, and cloudy, golden leaves are stripped from trees and swirl about piling up in sheltered areas of our yard. Migrating waterfowl seek respite from the pounding gale and are gathered in our cove. Ten Trumpeter Swan arrive seeking protection from wind, four adults and six signets, elegant but cautious during this [...]

Our cove on the lake is full of nesting birds; two Rednecked Grebe nests (one is floating about 50 feet from shore), several Mallard Duck nests some with babies along the shore, next to our dock a feisty Bonapart gull regularly attacks guarding a nest somewhere in the woods, and a Magpie nest in the [...]

The ducklings have hatched! Now the biggest threat is predators. Gail Niebrugge, Alaska Artist

Often, during the evening, Common Loons appear swimming close to the shore in our cove. They are beautiful to watch, preening and fluffing their feathers and cruising back and forth. One day three arrived at the same time and talked to each other in a soft cooing Loon language. What I love most is their [...]