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Ely Summer Times
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Fun Facts about Local Wildlife Loons Lake residents marvel when loons arrive the day that the ice goes off. Instead of having some remarkable sixth sense, these loons have been rafted up on Lake Superior, flying to check their personal lakes every day, and ready to move in the instant the ice is gone. Underwater, loons are as adept as they are awkward on land. They can dive to depths of 100 feet or more, and propel themselves at a remarkable speed with their feet. While most birds have hollow bones, loon bones are solid. This, and the ability to control how much air is held in their feathers and lungs, lets them float and sink with a precision that would be the envy of a submarine captain. Solid bones make taking off difficult, often requiring a “runway” of 1/4 mile or more. But once in flight, loons fly at an impressive speed. They’ve been clocked at over 100 mph.
Fireflies Here’s a bit of northwoods wildlife that anyone can see for themselves on a warm night. Different species of fireflies have different flash patterns and light colors. They also may flash at different times of evening and different days of the summer. The purpose is to find a mate with the same flash pattern. Male fireflies fly as they flash, while females sit on a leaf or grass stem. One species of female fireflies can imitate the flash pattern of several other males. After she lures them in by pretending to be a suitable mate, she eats them. Catching fireflies in a glass jar and watching the light has a special fascination for youngsters. If you can collect 25,000 of them, and get them to flash all together, you’ll have a light as bright as a 60 watt bulb.
Walleye The Minnesota state fish, and a top tourist attraction, the walleye is really a perch, not a pike. This is especially curious as its primary food is the smaller yellow perch. The almost eerie, white, bulging eye that gives this fish its name has been found by researchers to be extraordinarily sensitive to color. They have excellent sight even in dim light and turgid waters. The Minnesota record walleye was caught at the edge of the Boundary Waters, on Seagull River. It weighed 17 pounds, 8 ounces!
Mink
Great Horned Owls Many a camper has been startled, even terrified, by the unfamiliar, spooky calls of owls that can only be heard close up. Not the usual hooting we’re used to, these can easily seem to have a supernatural source. Perhaps the most voracious raptor, Great Horned Owls will catch and eat anything from shrews to skunks, songbirds to geese, bugs to snakes. Some of the owl’s hunting prowess comes from its ears, which are assymetrically placed with one slightly larger than the other. This allows the owl to pinpoint the location of its prey without seeing it. The owl’s feathers are specially shaped to permit absolutely silent flight.
There’s plenty of local flora too. Time your visit right and you’re sure to find blueberries like these.
These cute, curious creatures, coveted for the beauty of their fur, are often spotted by paddlers since they hunt and travel along the shores of streams, lakes, and marshes. They are closely related to otters, skunks, and weasels. Mink prey on young and weak muskrats, and often nest in abandoned muskrat houses. They are opportunistic feeders, and will eat fish, crayfish, birds, frogs, mice, and insects. They wrap themselves around their prey in a lethal wrestling hold, then make the kill with a bite to the neck. It takes 75 mink skins to make a full length fur coat. Northwoods mink are trapped today, but most fur coats are made from farm raised animals.