Yesterday was a day birding with excellent bird spotter 
Blue JayDonna at the Sax Zim Bog near Duluth. We saw several Rough-legged Hawks and some other birds but no owls, which we most wanted to see. At the welcome center there, we saw super videos of owls in action and close-up, which would be perfect for the Ecology Hall. I talked to Sparky Stensaas, who runs it and took the videos, and we are going to mutually promote the Bog and the Bear Center. As part of that, we’ll have the super owl video on a fairly large screen in the Ecology Hall.
Coming up in July are the Black Bear Field Study Courses, and the first 3 courses have only 6 in each. That means there are openings for 2 or 3 in each course July 5-8, July 12-15, and July 19-22. E-mail Judy Thon at 
Mink Stripe
Judy e-mailed me that these bears are expected to have cubs: RC, Colleen, Bow, Jewel, Vanna, Vonnie, Mikah, Sadie, Ember, Pixie. Looking forward to having ID books set up and also adding them to Shadow’s Clan sheet with the help of class participants.
Gordon Buchanan and
Prince CharlesOut the window here, Stripe has been the mink of the day for each of the last two days.
And just so everyone knows we don’t hang out with just anybody here, our own Gordon Buchanan was awarded the title of MBE (Member of the British Empire) and had it pinned on this new suit by no less than Prince Charles.
Gordon Buchanan's family I’ve never seen him so dressed up as in this picture of him with his (Left to right) daughter Lola, wife Wendy, and son Harris. He is the only MBE I know, and it was partly for his work with the bears here.
A blue jay perched in the sun and I couldn’t help but click the button. The camera is always right next to me at my desk.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center