... While another biologist held the pelican's right wing, Hilton cut the roughly 6-foot-long fishing line with scissors. Her co-worker then snapped the fish hook with wire cutters. The hook's small barb was still lodged in the pelican's bone; Hilton carefully removed it with forceps.
She also removed the cactus spines, which she said the pelican probably picked up from cacti near the facility.
Hilton, 26, said she had never treated a pelican before but relied on techniques she uses while inserting tags into smalltooth sawfish, the fish she primarily studies. The pelican was calm throughout the procedure, which Hilton said took about five minutes but felt like an hour because of the unusual nature of the situation.
Her co-worker then carried the pelican to the basin, where the bird stretched and flapped its wings for a few minutes before flying away....
Just got back from my annual "take the dog for his hiking vacation" in the Upper Peninsula. It was the year of the Bald Eagle, must've seen more than twenty of them.
I've been to Michigan, a little, but never went to the UP. What is it about it that makes it worth taking your dog to?
Just got back from my annual "take the dog for his hiking vacation" in the Upper Peninsula. It was the year of the Bald Eagle, must've seen more than twenty of them.
I've been to Michigan, a little, but never went to the UP. What is it about it that makes it worth taking your dog to?
Besides being leash free for miles on end?
The hiking is wonderful but not too steep, the time we go is almost bug free and the Lake Superior shoreline really is spectacular.
Morning crane, Au Train Lake view from our cabin. Bald eagles every evening.
We were in Hiawatha National Forest. We also visited Grand Island.
Eamus Catuli~AC 000000000101010202020303010304 020405....Ahhhh, forget it, it's gonna be a while.
O Really wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2026 12:47 am
It looks glorious. We should have taken the UAV up there but for some reason we had no idea. Thanks
I was surprised too. I had spent some time in the Houghton/ Copper Harbour area ( and used to backpack Isle Royale to commute with the moose) back in the day but the shoreline in this area is even more beautiful.
Eamus Catuli~AC 000000000101010202020303010304 020405....Ahhhh, forget it, it's gonna be a while.
O Really wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2026 11:50 pmI've been to Michigan, a little, but never went to the UP. What is it about it that makes it worth taking your dog to?
O Really wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2026 12:47 amIt looks glorious. We should have taken the UAV up there but for some reason we had no idea. Thanks
I was surprised too. I had spent some time in the Houghton/ Copper Harbour area ( and used to backpack Isle Royale to commute with the moose) back in the day but the shoreline in this area is even more beautiful.
Good on this 70 year old. A 9-day solo hike would have been a challenge when I was much younger. Sounds like he mostly had the skills, knowledge and gear to survive for a week or more after injury.
Good on this 70 year old. A 9-day solo hike would have been a challenge when I was much younger. Sounds like he mostly had the skills, knowledge and gear to survive for a week or more after injury.
Isle Royale while being remote is also very finite. Not really understanding how he got lost. The trails aren’t overly difficult and it's pretty easy to navigate just with the sun.
Unless he got chased by a moose like I did!
Eamus Catuli~AC 000000000101010202020303010304 020405....Ahhhh, forget it, it's gonna be a while.
Good on this 70 year old. A 9-day solo hike would have been a challenge when I was much younger. Sounds like he mostly had the skills, knowledge and gear to survive for a week or more after injury.
Isle Royale while being remote is also very finite. Not really understanding how he got lost. The trails aren’t overly difficult and it's pretty easy to navigate just with the sun.
I love moose. I thought we had had the best moose encounter in Maine some years ago when we passed by one standing on the edge of the water we were kayaking in. Just stood there, looked at us, snorted out water, turned and peed in our general direction and moved on into the bushes.
But then, when visiting our daughter when she was in Spokane Valley, we came face to face with her "yard moose" who regularly came down from the nearby conservation area to steal apples from her tree. He also looked at us, sniffed "what?" and kept munching. He wasn't tame by any means, but he was pretty well acclimated to suburban life.
O Really wrote: Sat Sep 26, 2026 5:11 pmI love moose. I thought we had had the best moose encounter in Maine some years ago when we passed by one standing on the edge of the water we were kayaking in. Just stood there, looked at us, snorted out water, turned and peed in our general direction and moved on into the bushes.
But then, when visiting our daughter when she was in Spokane Valley, we came face to face with her "yard moose" who regularly came down from the nearby conservation area to steal apples from her tree. He also looked at us, sniffed "what?" and kept munching. He wasn't tame by any means, but he was pretty well acclimated to suburban life.
Backcountry camping in Yellowstone Park - woken by heavy animal just outside our tent. Grizzly? Nope, grazing moose along with her baby moose, which made the situation even more dangerous. We did the only responsible thing - zipped the tent back up and hoped we wouldn't be stepped on.
