Greenwood Forest Fire Region Birding Bonanza! Crossbills!

The Greenwood Forest Fire burned a large area in northern Minnesota, including some of the Nature Conservancy’s Sand Lake / 7 Beavers Wilderness Preserve. While the fires are tragic, they also help rejuvenate the forest. The first started almost exactly five years ago (read story from MPR) However the land and wildlife recovers. Two of the last three mornings I have been privileged to hang out with hundreds and hundreds of Red Crossbills. This rarely seen Boreal Forest bird was gorging themselves on the seeds of burned out pines. Pine Siskins were getting sloppy seconds (they are not able to break the cones open like the crossbills).

See all the Red Crossbills was extra special for me. As a youngster growing up in Duluth Red Crossbills would visit our bird feeders in droves each winter. Now 60 years later I don’t often get to see these birds.

I hope you enjoy my time with the Red Crossbills! (plus Pine Siskins). Observe their unique hooked beak which allows them to break open pines cones. The location was the Sand River wayside (a small gravel pullout) on Lake County #2 / Forest Road #15.

Gritting Up