Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Over the years spent out in the outdoors with nature as a nature photographer, I have had several encounters with wildlife. I will relate some of the more memorable ones with the readers.

The first one took place in the upper peninsula (UP) of Michigan. I was in the confines of what is known as Porcupine Mountain. In the northwest corner is a river that runs into Lake Superior. The scene was located below a waterfall which created an island about 100 yards from the shoreline of the lake on this narrow fast moving river.

It was late afternoon and I was on island side of the bank of the river beside a pool looking for a silhouette to photograph for the sunset. I was startled as I heard a splash behind me. I turned as I was hoping it was not a bear, because I was in a very precarious position. I saw nothing but a circular ripple. I thought it had to me a fish, so I was about to turn back toward the lake. As I did, I caught a glimpse of something in my peripheral vision. Is was swimming in the pool, and I first thought of a muskrat. I was wrong…..it was an otter, and it was staring at me.

Suddenly another head came up…..two otters. I just sat down the best I could to watch the creatures play. It was my first viewing of a wild otter. And play they did, after they confirmed that I was not their predator. A game of CHASE seemed to be their most endearing activity. On the bank, in the water, under the water, and back on the bank……one behind the other, chasing and wrestling each other. It was entertaining to watch their antics.

After an hour or so they crawled out on the bank and lay down. First they preened themselves and then they preened each other. This preening also could be called foreplay, because it led to a mating, which led to a few minutes rest. Then back into the water and they swam straight in to the lake and disappeared.

I was so enthralled by my encounter that I forgot all about my sunset, and headed back to the motel.

More UP

I was again in the UP of Michigan, in the wild around the town of Three Rivers. The afternoon before I had discovered both some wolf prints and bobcat prints in the sand along a fire road. I was there early the next morning and set up my blind. As the world awoke with the sun rising, I started to hear the birds singing. I was getting anxious as I had the feeling I was going to get some images during this sit.

I had a tape of a dying rabbit squealing and decided to play it in the recorder. I played it softly at first and sat about a half an hour. Nothing. I played it again, this time a bit louder and sat another half an hour. Same results. I thought to myself, I will try it one more time. As I was leaning over to press the button, I heard a noise of leaves rustling. I looked out the window of the blind in that direction. All I saw was grass.

Just then I saw a head pop up in that patch of grass. It looked like a weasel, but it was to big. What could it be? The head disappeared. It came back. Disappeared again and back again. It was like it was playing peak-a-boo with me. I started watching it through the lens, and focused the lens on it.

The next time the head popped up, my camera captured it on film. ( pre digital days) The animal did not seem to mind the noise of the camera as he never looked in my direction

I got a couple more images, and I heard a turtle dove fly in and land above me in a tree. I looked at the animal. It was in a crouch position and I could finally see the whole body. Beautiful. He started sneaking toward the tree in the crouch position. I got a couple more shots, and he charged the tree. The next thing was hearing a growl and seeing tan feathers float past the window of the blind.

I sat about an hour and crawled out of the blind. I looked up and saw a dove wing on my blind.

I surveyed the area and saw nothing. The animal ran at least twenty feet from the grassy spot to the tree……Then climbed over ten feet to the nearest limb and went out on the limb to capture the dove before it could fly away. Either the dove was sleeping, or the animal was fast. I know it was fast as I saw it.

When I got home I determined it was a pine martin…….with its beautiful brown fur and yellow breast plate. It instantaneously became one of my favorite animals.