If you’ve never been to Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge put it on your list. This refuge has many hikes and trail to go with a 7 mile wildlife Drive. So no matter your level of adventure from on foot, bike or car you can visit and expect to see beauty and wildlife on your visit.

Sherburne is an area of 30,000 acreas near Zimmerman Minnesota. The refuge is a sanctuary for birds, mammals, reptile, amphibians and other stuuf from March 1 thru August 1. During this time frame you need to stay on the designated trails, waterways, access points and roads. During fall there are some hunting opportunities in the refuge.

The day I visited Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge it was calm as can be and I was toting my new camera which I was eager to give try. During my adventure I found the refuge to be a quiet place of open fields, hardwood stands and water. I took the drive twice hoping to find some birds to test my new gear on. What I found were sandhill cranes, numerous trumpeter swans, blue wing teal, a bald eagle, a few bufflehead ducks along with the typical mallards, gulls, blackbirds and even a chicken, a rooster. This bird was cool looking and I watched and wondered. Where did he come from how long had he been there? I was visiting on a Tuesday and I’d say the traffic was light. I saw 5-6 other vehicles looking for nature including a couple other photographers who were looking for elusive species that frequent the refuge in spring. I didn’t see odd ball birds species with the exception of the chicken. Below is a slide show of what I saw and what you can expect if you go to Sherburne for a visit.

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What makes June the top month for loons? Well I’d say a variety of reasons. Loons are most vocal in June, from the haunting wail to the short communicative hoots loons are the audio spectacle that raises the level of our outdoor experiences. Everyone likes to hear loons. June is also breeding season for loons. Loons can be seen on nests and once the loonlets hatch loons tend to their young all day long. Feeding and protecting the loonlets becomes their top priority. This is an opportunity that offers up viewing the loons hunting and feeding their loonlets almost constantly during daylight hours. In the instance the  loons sense danger baby loons will scurry to cover or dive. Loonlets will also tuck under the wings of the adult loons. If you see a loon in June with an abnormal raised wing position or one wing seems higher than the other chance are their is a baby loon under that wing.

Many lakes and larger ponds in the Twin Cities metro are homes to loons during the summer. And northern Minnesota it probably goes without saying harbors big populations of breeding loon pairs.

I typically scout for loons by stopping at boat landings and scope for them with my binoculars. Of course if you are in your boat, canoe, kayak or pontoon that makes things a bit easier.

Onto the nitty gritty. Where can you see loons raising young and listen to them? One place you might not think is Lake Minnetonka. Others include, Beebe Lake, Bush Lake, Medicine Lake, Lake Independence and Big Marine Lake. Chances are any lake you are visiting North of the metro that offers some quiet areas with an undisturbed shoreline you will encounter loons.

Scanning with your binoculars is a popular method to view loons and so is a slow cruise in a boat around weed islands and natural shorelines. If you stumble upon a nesting loon or happen on a family of them they like peace. Watch them from a suitable distance. They will alert you if you are too close and if that happens simply back away and the loons will go about their family business.

See you on the water-

Pete

Loons are water birds and only go ashore to nest and incubate eggs.”

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