Category Archives: Year 12

Emerald Isle Birding on the Skellig Ring Loop

Year 12

It’s not very many folks who can say they travel to Ireland, and the weather is both warmer and dryer! However, Molly and I arrived on the SW Coast of Ireland yesterday, and clear sunny skies and temperatures which range up to the mid 50’s each day are super for us northern Minnesota kids.

We knew we were not in Kansas anymore as we drove up to the remote farm house we have rented for one week. While not on the water, we have great views down to the Atlantic.  While the “Ring of Kerry”, is not too far distant, we are situated on the Skellig Ring. This region is more remote than the Ring of Kerry, and was where Star Wars was filmed (The Force Awakens).

While I have not encountered any Jedi Knights, the birds have been fun and “new for me”. Here is how everything looked when we arrived yesterday.

Out the Front Door of our Cottage

Out the Back Door (and up the hill)

The First Found of Birds!

European Kestrel

European Robin (not a thrush like our Robin)

European Robin and Stonechat

Hooded Crow

Rook

This trip is extra special for me. I have not been to Europe for 6 years (Bicycle Tour through the Norwegian Arctic) and those years have been difficult … eye disease, Covid, open heart surgery, and prostate cancer. With the Grace of God, I seem to be doing very well. I hope to now stay healthy, and the doctors say all looks good!

Sounds of the Minnesota Moose Rut (recorded by Trailcams)

Year 12

Although we have not reached October, which I personally think of as being the period of the prime moose rut, my local moose appear to think otherwise! Last night, three trailcams I have deep in the Superior National Forest recorded both a huge bull moose, and a cow. At times the moose were only inches from my cameras making visuals impossible. However, the close proximity made hearing the moose very easy. Pay attention … you will hear both the cow and bull in the various videos.

Here is a screenshot from Google Maps which gives you an idea of camera positioning. As noted each camera is within 400 yards of the subsequent camera. I have noted in this blog post’s text if the relevant video snippet includes moose sounds. However, I thought it was worth including all the videos that were recorded over the wee hours of the morning on September 19th from 12:23 am to 1:32 am … regardless of the amount of sound. Each video is 30 seconds in length.

Even non blog subscribers may wish to note the short comments about the sounds one may hear in each video … next to blog subscriber links.

Trailcam #2

  • Video link 1 for blog email subscribers
    • Just breathing sounds
  • Video link 2 for blog email subscribers
    • Cow makes sounds starting at 18 seconds
  • Video link 3 for blog email subscribers
    • Bull makes sounds starting at 4 seconds
    • Other sounds may be from the cow, but she can not be seen
  • Video link 4 for blog email subscribers
    • Just breathing sounds
    • Bull’s beard is within inches of the camera

Trailcam #3

  • Video link 5 for blog email subscribers
    • Bull walking through the bog … water sounds

Trailcam #2

  • Video link 6 for blog email subscribers
    • Isolated grunts from the bull
  • Video link 7 for blog email subscribers
    • Isolated grunts from the bull
  • Video link 8 for blog email subscribers
    • Isolated grunts from the bull

Trailcam #1

  • Video link 9 for blog email subscribers
    • Silence … bull walking through bog
  • Video link 10 for blog email subscribers
    • Mostly silent … some breathing sounds from the bull

For me, this sequence of videos which took place over one hour are amazing. The locations of the trailcams represent years of my learning about forest habitat, and specifically two years of my learning this particular area of the Superior National Forest.  The exact location of each camera is not “dumb luck”. I have been observing the wildlife in this region for a long time, and hiking various trails, including game trails, while paying attention to signs of wildlife. Since June I have seen eight moose with my own eyes, not just via trailcams.

Moose Madness at Greenwood

Year 12

Yesterday was a “work day” deep in the Greenwood Boreal Forest Bog. I wanted to set up and drop off my BirdNET-Pi birdsong listening device, and tweak locations/settings of my four trailcams. Given it had been two weeks since I had hiked into this wilderness area, I also swapped out simm cards. Oh my … make sure you watch the two videos of Poppa Moose! He has now moved into the area which is not surprising given all the females and the impending rut.  I have seen 8 moose in person over the summer but Poppa is much bigger than the males I have seen. One cool aside, I met the US Forest Service Ranger / Biologist with responsibility for this region. Given his research priorities and my personal focuses upon Greenwood, this is a nice meetup!

One fun aspect of the morning was having this Broad-Winged Hawk hunt near me for about 15 minutes while I was hiking into the bog. I have watched this family of hawks since late spring. Note the amount of color in the leaves already. Fall is well underway and this hawk will migrate south real soon.