The WOW of Nature

This is not my typical blog post, but I really wanted to give some special attention to a bit of the beauty that I have had the privilege of experiencing here at Big Timber Lodge Resort on Third Crow Wing Lake in northern Minnesota. It is amazing to me how many different creatures, especially birds, live their lives right here. I completely enjoy the WOW factor of seeing something new, someone new everywhere I turn. It is simply delightful.

I will start with the loons. I sat on the end of the dock, observing a pair of common loons. I was excited because they weren’t too far away, and they were staying above the water. Loons often have a tendency to pop to the surface only for a moment, between dives. They swim under water for long distances, so it takes a sharp eye to find them again and then great reflexes to get the camera aimed at them before they submerge again. These loons were pretty stationary, just preening and swimming around together.  I had my camera in hand and I was snapping picture after picture of these two beauties. This experience alone would have been a high point in any day for me.

 All of a sudden, up from below sprang a third loon. He came up screaming, as only a loon can scream. I kept snapping pictures as water flew everywhere and the first loons became defensive. It was quite a scene to watch, and as my camera was already focused on the exact location it was all taking place, I got some really good pictures of it all.

It’s exciting to see something you have never seen before. For me, to have it all occur right in front of my lens was beyond normal excitement. It was an amazing treat.

The world around me is full of amazing treats. It is every day, but on vacation, in a location where I can see different from my normal wildlife, it seems especially full. Yesterday, I got to watch an osprey go fishing. I had my camera in hand, but I felt like I missed some of the best of the pictures. Do you know what? The osprey missed the fish he was going for as well, so I guess no one is perfect. I still have some fun pictures from a couple of dives he took.

I observed bald eagles, both young (juvenile) and mature, soaring above the lake.

There were American pelicans and herons as well, with gulls thrown in for good measure.

Then there were the songbirds! I heard more than I saw, but I did catch a few. I said a big thank you to the song sparrow for being so amazing at catching insects. The song sparrow and the eastern phoebe were among the many songbirds that I heard and observed.

I am constantly amazed by the diversity of the world around me. I am deeply thankful for the great imagination of the Creator of this magnificent planet. I love experiencing this world, and I promise to keep my eyes open and my camera handy. Thanks for experiencing some of this joy with me!