Eagles, Beavers, and Who Else Lives Here
By The hosts
Something to keep in mind out here: you're the visitor. The bay has full-time residents, and they had the place long before there was a cottage on it. Half the fun of a week at the lake is keeping an eye out for the neighbours. Here's a little field guide to who you're likely to meet.
The bald eagle
If you see one big bird up here that stops you in your tracks, it's probably a bald eagle. They're surprisingly common on the Winnipeg River system, and for good reason - it's a fish-rich waterway and eagles are expert fishers. Look for them perched up high in the tall pines along the shore, scanning the water, that unmistakable white head catching the light.
If you're lucky you'll watch one drop, talons first, and pluck a fish clean off the surface. It's the kind of thing that makes the whole boat go quiet. Keep a pair of binoculars handy and scan the big dead-topped trees along the shoreline - that's their favourite lookout.
The loon
We've talked about loons before, but they earn another mention because they're the soul of the lake. Out on the water by day, diving for fish - and they can stay under a surprisingly long time, so watch where one goes down and guess where it'll pop up. At dusk and through the night, they're the singers, with that long wavering wail that defines the northern lake. A pair will often work the bay all season. They're not tame, so give them space, especially around nesting time, but they're a constant, beloved presence.
The beaver
The lake's resident engineer. You'll likely see beavers at dusk, working the shoreline, a V-shaped wake trailing behind them. If one spots you, you'll get the famous slap - a tail smacked flat on the water as a warning, loud enough to make you jump. Look along the banks for their lodges and the tell-tale gnawed and felled trees. Beavers shape this whole landscape; they've been doing it far longer than we have.
The rest of the cast
There's a whole supporting cast on the bay:
- Otters, if you're lucky - playful and quick, often in little family groups, sliding around the rocks.
- Ducks and geese working the shallows; you'll hear them more than see them at first.
- Songbirds and woodpeckers in the forest - the trails are full of them in spring and summer.
- The occasional moose or deer at the water's edge at dawn or dusk, if the stars align. Moose are big and best admired from a respectful distance.
- And at night, the bats that swoop the dusk air eating bugs - which, frankly, makes them friends.
How to be a good neighbour
Watch, don't feed. Keep your distance, especially from the young ones. Pack out everything.
The wildlife up here is wild, and that's exactly how we want to keep it. Don't feed anything - a fed animal becomes a problem animal, and that never ends well for the animal. Store your food and garbage sensibly. Give nesting birds and animals with young plenty of room. And just... pay attention. The more still and quiet you are, the more you'll see.
Some of the best moments of a lake week aren't planned at all. They're the eagle that drops out of the pine, the otter family rounding the point, the loon surfacing ten feet from your canoe. Keep your eyes open. The locals are worth meeting.