Tag Archives: MN North: Pagami Creek Forest Fire Region

Northern Nights Near Canada!

Background, Year 9, ,

Today will end my Covid quarantine, and tomorrow assuming I mask up, I will be able to reengage with the world. It will be fantastic to spend time with my wife. We have gotten behind in watching “The Crown”!!

As I have noted in prior posts this week, I am hard at work completing the second edition of Snowy’s Search for Color, and have pushed along on my new book … about Smokey the Great Gray Owl! Thus, it should be apparent that my case of Covid is somewhat mild!

Both of my two books on occasion involve using images of the night sky. Thus, after the hard process of making selections and processing edits, there two scenes will be used in the new book.

Milky Way deep in off the Gunflint Trail (It was so dark this night, that when I walked 25 yards away from my car, it was impossible to see my Subaru Outback! The BWCA is rated as having perfectly dark skies by the International Dark Sky Association)

Northern Lights over the Pagami Creek Wildfire Burn Area (I was 18+ miles from the nearest paved road and within yards of the BWCA. During this entire night of Aurora chasing I never saw another person or vehicle … only heard wolves and owls! The Northern Lights had been much more dramatic earlier in the night, but the contrast between the burn area and the Aurora was awe inspiring). The light painting of the wooden bridge in these images was done with the ever so brief use of a tiny flashlight (about 1 second).

Saving the Northland for Future Generations.

Year 9

Hurray! President Biden this morning cancelled the two “precious metals” mining permits near the BWCA. While I understand the need for well paying jobs in northern Minnesota, no job is worth risking the chance my grandchildren will not be able to enjoy an unspoiled Northland.

I actually had to leave this area right after graduate school when I started my work career … St. Louis County had the 4th worst unemployment rate in the nation at over 20% of the workforce. Thus, I personally understand the need for jobs, but not at the risk of what makes northern Minnesota precious. Thankfully I am back in the area once more. Thank you, President Biden. Read about the mining permit cancellations via MPR.

I took this photograph about six years ago at the edge of the BWCA, the Aurora over the Pagami Creek Wildfire burn area.

I normally keep political discussions out of this blog, but it should be obvious to any reader I love the Northland. I am not affiliated with either major political party and have voted over the years for both Democrats and Republicans.

Pagami Creek Wildfire Area Birding

Year 5,

The operative words this morning were snow and ice in the Pagami Creek Forest Fire Area on Tomahawk Road! There were not much of each, but definitely both were around. Backwaters, ponds and small lakes are almost frozen over. A light dusting of snow covered the ground, which may have melted by this afternoon (28F at 7:45 am).

I only saw one Spruce Grouse. In talking with the game warden I met up with near Isabella River, he mentioned that he had seen one grouse, but also two Lynx kittens! Snow buntings were definitely around, but only in small flocks of 5 to 10 birds. I did not see any other winter finches.

The Tamarack are at their golden peak. It was a great day to be out and about in the wilderness. Hopefully the winter snows will not sock in Tomahawk Road right after deer hunting concludes. I love this wilderness region, and hope to make one more trip this year in early December.

Red-Tailed Hawk Hunting an Isabella River Backwater

Snow Buntings

Oh yes … here are a few photos from yesterday … Two Harbors and along the shore.

Ore Boat Arriving Before Dawn at Two Harbors

Sunrise Snow Geese in Two Harbors

Amity Purple Finches

Black-Bellied Plover near Lakewood