Category Archives: Year 11

Summer Northern Lights

August 12, 2024Year 11MN North: Greenwood Forest Fire Area, MN North: Two Harbors Highlands, Northern Lightsrichardhoeg@gmail.com

While it is true that the best Northern Lights displays may be seen in Alaska or Norway, their proximity to the Arctic Circle (above or below) means that in the summer months the Land of the Midnight Sun means Aurora watching is just not possible. Down here in northern Minnesota as the days stretch towards the end of summer, we actually have some darkness. After the moon set last night at 11 pm there was a fantastic Northern Lights display.

Earlier last night I had driven up from my home at the northern edge of Duluth to the Isabella area near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA), but I found the best show was when I returned home. Up by the BWCA there was too much water vapor in the air (it rained during my drive north). This image was taken at “The Deeps” … Duluth Lester / Amity Park (200 yards from the end of my driveway).

Sand River near the BWCA

Lake County 2 … Road Scene and Zenith

Please note … many Northern Lights photographs you will see from the Lower 48 will show more dramatic colors, including red tinges to the images. I like a photograph that more accurately reflects what I am able to while Aurora watching. Thus, in post image processing I lessen the color and saturation found in my Northern Lights photos. The camera can see more light, and more spectrums than the naked eye. The other images are not wrong, but I prefer to capture something much more in line with what I actually am able to view.

Birding Little Free Library & Boardwalks

August 11, 2024Year 11MN North: Sax-Zim Bogrichardhoeg@gmail.com

The last two mornings have seen me walking some boardwalks up at Sax-Zim Bog. It is nice to have the bugs finally taking a break from their all out attack mode, that I can even consider walking in a Boreal Forest Bog. One thing which I am now noticing is that the Fall Migration has definitely started. The bug eaters are definitely on their way south, with the numbers of warblers in the Northwoods starting to get much smaller. Remember to take a look at my past post: “Planning Your Migration Birding: BirdCast and HaikuBox” No matter where you live in North America there are good, free tools that will inform you as to the birds visiting your geo location today, and in the days to come.

I mentioned a Birding Little Free Library! If you decide to visit Sax-Zim Bog and the Winterberry Bog a few miles west of Cotton, Minnesota on Arkola Road, there is a a library right at the start of the Bob Russell Boardwalk. Just in case, you are not familiar with the concept of Little Free Libraries … browse and learn. I personally dropped off a number of books late this spring about birding in Minnesota which I was pleased were picked up quickly. Remember these libraries are community supported and free.

Yesterday morning I walked the Warren Woessner Boardwalk on Blue Spruce Road. Canada’s National Bird, which I still think of as a “Gray Jay” posed nicely for me near the boardwalk. This bird is now named a “Canada Jay”.

Anyhow, get out there and enjoy the migration. Unlike the Spring migration when birds are in a hurry, if a suitable food source is present, birds will often linger during the Fall migration for days and days at a given site.

The Young Birds of Summer! (Fledglings)

August 7, 2024Year 11MN North: Canosia Wildlife Area, MN North: Sax-Zim Bog, MN North: South Bogrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Yesterday morning I spent 30 minutes with Steam Shovel Sam and Sally’s kids. The juvenile osprey can now fly, but prefer to stay perched near the nest and beg. I watched the two youngsters screaming / begging for a long time, and when they got excited I knew food had to be in the “delivery mode”! Quite frankly I could not see a parent osprey, but if your eyesight is capable to seeing fish under water, the ospreys could obviously see their parents coming back from a fishing trip long before I was able to see anything which leads me to this comment. When birding learn the birds! Birds will let you know by their actions when there will be a change in the environment. Such was the case with the Osprey Fledglings, which then made a quick, fast flight back to the nest. Apparently feedings at this point still happen only at the nest, not out on dead snags.

The Dead Snag … two youngsters

Osprey Fledgling #1

Osprey Fledgling #2

Parent Bring Fish (youngsters are hiding in nest)

Before a bunch more “youngster / fledglings” photographs, this Cedar Waxwing did pose nicely for me on McDavitt Road in Sax-Zim Bog yesterday morning. The ground fog had just burned off, and I was listening for juvenile Great Gray Owls (none heard). As a fyi this is the time of year to get out in the woods or grasslands and look for juvenile raptors. They beg a lot and are lousy hunters.