Trumpeter swans on Robinson LakeA little before dawn, trumpeter swans a quarter mile across Robinson Lake made me stop and click. It was the misty beginning of a calm day of blue sky and sunshine—possibly my last chance to photograph a vista of fall color for the upper walls of the Northwoods Ecology Hall. By midday, I put paperwork on hold. With thoughts of Sue cataloguing videos of the study bears and Scott interviewing Patrick "Moe" McKibbage for “Live from the NABC,” I headed to the fire tower atop Jasper Peak—one of the locations the Ecology Hall will urge people to visit.
Scott interviews Moe at the NABCWhile climbing Jasper Peak, yellow aspen leaves and birch leaves occasionally drifted to the forest floor despite the lack of wind. I was too slow with the camera when a nearby Eastern Chipmunk stuffed its cheeks with the freshly fallen leaves to line its hibernaculum. Against the blue sky, backlit northern red oak leaves that happened to be yellow glowed. A fallen big-toothed aspen leaf was still covered by dew.
Atop Jasper Peak, a red rock outcrop showed how the peak got its name. Up the fire tower, an eagle glanced down as it glided over, sharing my eagle’s eye view of the surrounding miles of forest. It didn’t feel like work. Oh, I did check Jo’s old den of 2011-2012—a road culvert—empty. Empty dens are not a cause to worry about the bears. They seldom re-use dens. Chances are slim that we’d find one occupied, but it seems worth a try. We’d be relieved to see Lily, Aster, or any of the other special bears.
 Jasper Peak |
 Eagle soaring |
 Jasper bedrock |
 Yellow red oak leaves |
 Bigtooth aspen leaf |
 Jo's den from 2011-2012 |
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.