Wildlife Wednesday: Critters of Keweenaw County

This week on Wildlife Wednesday we celebrate the natural wonderland that is the western Upper Peninsula with a video and photos featuring some critters of Keweenaw County.

Jesse Wiederhold of Visit Keweenaw shared these images which he captured during some of his many outdoor adventures exploring Michigan’s least populated county.

The Hancock resident photographed a deer rummaging through a forest in Copper Harbor. Wiederhold said he has a deep appreciation for seeing wildlife thrive in its natural setting.

He also snapped a squirrel scurrying across a patch of snow at McLain State Park.

“I think for me it’s so special that we have trails, boardwalks, and shorelines where us humans can coexist in peace with the wildlife,” Wiederhold said.

He has also encountered a variety of bird species, including a feathery flock mingling on the frozen Portage Canal.

And a few turkeys who knew better than to jaywalk while traveling along an Eagle Harbor Road.

Wiederhold also captured video of a colony of birds roosting in a copper harbor tree.

“The sound of birds in the morning in the woods, the smell of fog or dew and the watercolor Lake Superior sunrises and sunsets are definitely my favorite parts of the up outdoors,” he said.

Wiederhold explained why Keweenaw County is the perfect place to spy wildlife.

“For one, it is so quiet and peaceful here. We are far away from major highways and roadways, and it gets darker the further north you go. The rural disconnect is prime for wildlife to thrive and flourish.