Monthly Archives: May 2022

Prairie Grass Managed Yard Burn

Year 9

Molly and I love our home and its location directly across the street from Amity Creek. When the windows are open we are able to hear the spring runoff rapids and “The Deeps” waterfall. We firmly believe in being good shepherds of the environment. Our yard is a combination of forest trees and tall grasses / wildflowers. We want to be welcome spot for the nature.

A healthy grass yard requires periodic burns, but this is something one should never conduct oneself. Given our location at the northern edge of Duluth, this past Tuesday we worked with the Duluth Fire Department (Fire Marshall: Captain Lisa Consie) and Prairie Restorations. Fire Marshall Consie insured our burn was conducted both professionally and safely. Prairie Restorations has a strong history of managing these kinds of burns and grass habitats … even for many Minnesota State Parks. Enough talk (actually writing) from me. Here are images I took during the burn (directly below the two videos). You will see Fire Marshall Consie in one of the photographs taking an active role in managing our burn. In addition note how men with automatic water pumps follow the men conducting the burns everywhere.  The water pumps were hooked up by long hoses to a water tank / reservoir back in a truck. (video links for email subscribers: Burn Vid 1 | Burn Vid 2). Folks should not be fearful of fire. If used and managed wisely it is a great tool for the environment.

Branching!!!

Year 9,

One of my owlets was branching for the first time yesterday evening! It may not seem like much, but for a Great Horned Owlet to move 3 feet away from and out of its nest is a HUGE life accomplishment. Its first flight should be in about two weeks. If you would like to learn more about the life cycle of an owlet follow this link to the Cornell School of Ornithology.

When the rain let us this morning, I hiked back to the nest. Both owlets were drenched and now branching! Guess owlet number 2 decided it needed to be like its sibling.

Here are a couple more images from the past two days before the big branching decision. Mom normally inspects me and then goes back to sleep. Most days Mom is up high in another white pine behind her owlets.

The kids being goofy.

Meanwhile over at Lester Park Golf Course courting is in full swing. Glad Molly did not make me give up part of my arm years ago when I was wooing her (i.e. the feather offering for a nest). I don’t think either of these guys were successful.

My yard has also seen a steady stream of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, which is very enjoyable!

Finally … remember, anyone is welcome to download a free PDF copy of my book about the owlets growing up, Do You Hoot?

Getting Drenched and Loving Every Second!

Year 9
Question of the day: How fast do you get soaked when watching High Falls on the Pigeon River in ONE second?? I answered that question yesterday. Given the fast snow and ice melt occuring, High Falls is experiencing record flow. The answer is FAST!
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These two photographs were taken less than two seconds apart (camera burst mode). Notice how the number of water droplets have exploded on the camera lens (Google Maps Link: High Falls). As a teenager I often helped friends with their store right at the Canadian border on busy summer weekends. I would fish in a rowboat right beneath this waterfall, but that was always in August!
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eMail subscribers make certain you watch my short video I took of the falls yesterday morning (Wednesday, May 11th). All the lakes in off the Gunflint are still socked in with ice, and back in the deep boreal forest there is easily 1+ feet of snow on the ground. I had to turn around twice with my Subaru Outback (all wheel drive) on back roads which were impassable … creeks now rivers flowing over the road, and a combination of deep snow / mud on the dirt roads.

Here are a few more random photographs I took on my drive and three additional videos: (video links for email subscribers: Driving the Backroads | South Brule River Bridge at Sunrise | No Name Lake Socked in with Ice)(river and lake videos have commentary by me … all short)

Approaching civilization … I stayed at the Hungry Hippie Hostel and would recommend it w/o reservation.

A no name lake (smaller and shallower) … still socked in with ice. These smaller lakes normally go ice free before the big, deep lakes. No black ice yet.