Whitetail Doe and Fawn (Odocoileus virginianus)

Monarch butterfly - Danaus plexippus

Another in what might be called the "Minnesota State Symbol" series of sketches. The Monarch Butterfly.

The orange and black monarch can be found throughout Minnesota. The monarch is the "Minnesota State Insect" (not the mosquito, as many t-shirts and bumper stickers would lead you to believe).

There are a couple amazing things about monarchs. First of all, they are left alone by predators because they are poisonous. In the catepillar stage, the monarch eats only poisonous milkweed. This makes its tissues poisonous for predators as well. The monarch is so effective at detering predators that it has an immitator, the Viceroy Butterfly, which has nearly identical markings and coloring. The Viceroy itself is not poisonous, but nobody messes with it either.

Another amazing fact about the monarch is its incredibly long migration. Monarchs that you see fluttering around in Minnesota will spend winters in the same wintering grounds just west of Mexico City. Tens of millions of monarch butterflies make this trip every year. The individual butterflies, however, do not make the trip back. The monarch is a "generational" migratory insect. The butterflies that fly to Mexico will breed and die in the spring. The NEXT generation of butterflies that are born around Texas and other southern states will be the ones that actually make it back to Minnesota the following year.

Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel - Spermophilus tridecemlineatus

Minnesota is often called the "Gopher State". The mascot and team name of the University of Minnesota is the "Golden Gophers." Strange thing is, these references aren't really to a gopher at all, but to a Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrel, which, in fact is more closely related to a chipmunk.

The gopher, or "Pocket Gopher" is a much more unattractive beast, with large digging teeth on the outside of its lips, long claws and external pouches on either side of its mouth. The Ground Squirrel, on the other hand, is a much more presentable (albeit odd) sports team symbol. It is more on this side of "cute" than the real gopher.

The Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrel lives in the plains and grasses of western Minnesota and is easily identified by the pattern of "stars and stripes" that go down its back. It can often be seen standing upright in ditches and fields, scanning the horizon for predators.

Walleye - Sander vitreus vitreus

For a number of years in the 1990's, I lived with a bunch of guys in a house behind Tavern on Grand, a restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota. They were famous for their walleye sandwiches. Well, that was their claim to fame anyway.

Those sandwiches WERE pretty damn good.

The walleye is the Minnesota State Fish. (Hmm... seem to be on a "state animal" theme over the last couple posts.)

The walleye gets its name from its milky eyes. The eyes look this way because they reflect light due to a special membrane. This special membrane in their eyes also allows them to see very well in the dark. They are deep swimming fish, and so have a lower light environment than other game fish.

The walleye is closely related to the "zander," another fish in the pikeperch family. The zander, while tasting the same, is a cheaper, more plentiful fish imported from Europe. As revealed in a local news expose a few years ago, some some restaurants illegally advertise "walleye," when, in fact, they are serving zander.

Common Loon - Gavia immer

The Common Loon or "Great Northern Diver" is the Minnesota State Bird. It is easily recognized by its distinctive coloring, white stripes and flecks on black plumage as well as its long, black bill. It is larger than a duck, but smaller than a goose, averaging around 10 lbs in weight.

Minnesota has so many loons because it has so many lakes. Loons, built to dive, are more at home on water than on land. Unlike most birds, they have solid bones, not hollow bones. This extra weight allows them to dive deeply into lakes, up to 250 feet, but also makes it harder for them to fly. Its commonly know that loons only inhabit larger lakes because they require so much take off space to achieve flight. The loon has to run up to 500 feet across the water, madly flapping it wings, until it can finally take off.

Another distinctive feature of the loon is its red eyes. This coloring helps them see better while underwater. The catch most of their prey (suckers, perch, panfish and other small fish), while diving. They can stay underwater hunting up to 5 minutes at time.

Loons have four sounds they make, a tremolo, a hoot, a yodel and a wail. The wail is the soon most commonly associated with loons. It is a long, hollow mournful sound that lasts several seconds.

Because their primary home is on the water, loons have few natural enemies. Young loons might be attacked by large fish, eagles or hawks; but once a loon achieves adulthood, it is relative safe from predators. Loons live to be up to 30 years old.

Humans are the biggest risk to loons. Speedboats have been known to accidentally run down loon parents and young. Mercury and lead poisoning is also a serious problem, and the Minnesota DNR monitors loon populations for these substances.

Gas Fireplace

We built an addition to the house and put in a little gas fireplace. It heats up the porch nicely.

Saruman the White

A departure from the regular animal sketches for a moment. This is Saruman the White, sketched from an action figure. Without question, the Lord of the Rings trilogy are my favorite movies... and in my top ten for favorite books of all time.