25 minutes ago, J._Bricker said:

I don’t know @gim, either a Coopers or Sharp-shinned hawk. But I’m confident I can rule out an Osprey since it didn’t have a fish in its talons.

Yeah, I was gonna say, looks like a sharp-shinned hawk to me, though I'm not confident I could tell the difference between that and the Coopers. 

I’ve read peer reviewed scientific studies on telling the difference between coopers and sharp shinned. Conclusion: it’s nearly impossible. Riveting stuff 

@IcatchDinks and @TnRiver46, I agree it’s difficult to tell between the two raptors. However I’m going to say it is a Cooper’s Hawk due to their having bigger talons and this guy was standing on one leg the couple of times he occupied that rock. 

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve read peer reviewed scientific studies on telling the difference between coopers and sharp shinned. Conclusion: it’s nearly impossible. Riveting stuff 

Studies show that if you start a sentence with “studies show”, people will believe you. 
😂

Just a sample of what boat traffic is like on Minnetonka on the weekends...not even a holiday, this was taken this past Sunday. The 'parking' is at the lake's 'party spot' just off Big Island (on the right), and is like this anytime the weather is decent all summer long - even weekday evenings gets it fairly packed.

29 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Just a sample of what boat traffic is like on Minnetonka on the weekends...not even a holiday, this was taken this past Sunday. The 'parking' is at the lake's 'party spot' just off Big Island (on the right), and is like this anytime the weather is decent all summer long - even weekday evenings gets it fairly packed.

I'd be elsewhere 

5 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

I'd be elsewhere 

This is why I avoid that lake in the summer months. Just wait until tomorrow on the biggest holiday of the season when it’s 93 degrees out.

 

Spring and fall only for this guy

The creatures were everywhere when I was out on my kayak. I saw a deer with a rack the size of a Volkswagen.  Biggest I've ever seen.  Also saw a fox eat a mink and this guy. 

 

17 hours ago, FishTank said:

The creatures were everywhere when I was out on my kayak. I saw a deer with a rack the size of a Volkswagen.  Biggest I've ever seen.  Also saw a fox eat a mink and this guy. 

 

And he’s in a sea of poison ivy 

19 hours ago, FishTank said:

Also saw a fox eat a mink

 

That's surprising.  Mink are nasty and mean even if the fox has some size on it.  Musta been pretty hungry.

11 minutes ago, gim said:

 

That's surprising.  Mink are nasty and mean even if the fox has some size on it.  Musta been pretty hungry.

They're everywhere at the lake (Eagle Creek) I was fishing.  You usually see them on the rocks by the spillway but the fox snagged one in somebody's back yard by a dock. He tore the rear end off and took off with his prize. He was pretty big, maybe 20lbs. 

 

This is the only picture I could get of it.

 

44 minutes ago, gim said:

Mink are nasty and mean

Considering they're close relatives of the Wolverine, it's not surprising.

These guys should get together Mink and turkey egg for breakfast

19 hours ago, Bazoo said:

I heard the first one of the summer yesterday.

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

And he’s in a sea of poison ivy 

Hey, where did you find this photo of me the other day? I'll spare you all the gruesome photos. Use your imagination. (It's not really that bad.)

1 hour ago, FishTank said:

They're everywhere at the lake (Eagle Creek) I was fishing.  You usually see them on the rocks by the spillway but the fox snagged one in somebody's back yard by a dock. He tore the rear end off and took off with his prize. He was pretty big, maybe 20lbs. 

 

This is the only picture I could get of it.

 

Mink fell down into the window well at our house and was screaming.

Went to the wood pile to grab a 2 x 4 to stick down so it could climb out.

When I got back the wife's cat jumped down and instantly killed it.

They ain't as tough as cats.

Sunrise over the distant Sierras from the Tract yesterday morning 

Went camping this weekend on the shore of Lake Michigan with my siblings and their families. Didn't get any fishing in, but my sister did manage to capture some lovely scenery:

 

Went to Valleyfair yesterday with the family.  I have not been there in about 10 years.  Rollercoasters, water park, and finished the day off with some ice cream.  That's my hand in the photo of the rollercoaster going up if you look closely.

 

 

7 minutes ago, gim said:

Went to Valleyfair yesterday with the family.  I have not been there in about 10 years.

I haven't been in over 20 years...looks like you all had fun.

29 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I haven't been in over 20 years...looks like you all had fun.

 

I'm getting too old for some of these extreme thrill rides.  Steel Venom is their newest addition and its powered by giant magnets.  You sit with your feet dangling below and the rails are attached above you versus a traditional rollercoaster that runs on a track.  Every time it passes the magnets, it quickly accelerates you to almost 70 mph.  That one did me in.

1 hour ago, Columbia Craw said:

I see a giant canine about to eat.