Mosquito Birding Madness at the Greenwood Creek Bog (and a Lynx)

Year 11

Oh my … watch the video. Bog Country in NE Minnesota = Mosquitoes. I wanted to pull the SIMM card from my trailcam before surgery on Thursday. I was fully prepared with a head net, jacket and wind pants (I always wear shorts, but not today). In the past 8 days my trailcam has photographed a bull moose, two timber wolves and now a Canada Lynx … all near the pond in the Greenwood Creek Bog.

The Bog is accessed via US Forest Service #813. If you have “all wheel” or “4 wheel” drive you may drive the forest road for 6/10 of a mile. Park next to the rock pile (and off the road). From the parking spot it is only a 1/2 mile hike to the bog pond. If you have a “2 wheel” drive can, park out next to Lake County #2 and the bird feeders (6/10 of a mile away).

DO NOT HIKE TO THIS BLOG W/O WATCHING THE VIDEO. MOSQUITOES! (video link for email subscribers)

Here is a TrailCam image of the Canada Lynx. Most of the activity appears to be just before sunset. I will let folks know when the mosquitoes die out a bit.

America the Beautiful Birding

Year 11,

I tend to “bird the sunrise”, which on June 14th is at 5 am in northern Minnesota. Because this means I am up BEFORE 5 am, by 9 pm I am often tired and in bed. However last night I went looking for owls at a new place after sunset (after 9 pm). While I did not find owls, this Osprey (photos best seen on a large screen) was gloriously setting off the sunset. Given I live at the bottom of the hill near Lake Superior, the geography of the hill means I see lots of sunrises, and very few sunsets. Boy, am I glad I went out last night. I found myself humming the melody of “America the Beautiful”!

Flaming Osprey Sunset (Canosia Wildlife Preserve)

Rescuing “Winston Churchill”, the juvenile River Otter, from the road. Look at the first picture! I hope you’ll understand my name for the otter. I did manage to convince “Winston” to leave the highway!

The explosion of color continued this morning when I still got up early, and was off to the Lakewood School and environs.

Morning Lupine

Northern Flicker

Green Heron

Birding Updates

Year 11, , ,

Some quick birding updates …

  1. The large pine blocking USFS Road #813 (Greenwood Creek Bird Feeders) has been cleared … a combination of my efforts and the forest service
  2. The trailcam at the Greenwood Creek Bog photographed some timber wolves. I have again slightly shifted the camera’s location as I better learn the preferred game trails.
  3. The Lester / Amity Owl family is doing fine. A few mornings ago I found all four owls, even Poppa (he tends to be harder to find). Some recent pics of the owl family included below.
  4. I took photos of the Lakewood Elementary School Wetlands. They are posted below, and will also be added to the post describing that birding location. See my Northeastern Minnesota Birding Locations web page.
  5. The Grassland Birds are busy trying to find mates. This is a good birding excursion, and the wildflowers are beginning to bloom (see images bellow of Bobolink and Killdeers recently seen at Sax-Zim)
  6. Believe it or not, the Red-Headed Woodpecker is still hanging out at the Park Point Recreation Area. Red focuses upon the flowering fruit trees just off the parking lot (next to road).

All images taken within the past seven days on various birding excursions …

Lakewood Elementary School Wetlands

Standing in the middle of the bridge … pics show both directions

Grassland Birds of Sax-Zim (Bobolinks and Killdeer)

Note: I obviously stumbled upon / got near a nest (broken wing display)

Red!

The Lester / Amity Owls (Momma and Owlets)

Day 65: (Momma winks, Owlet learning to hunt

Day 67: Poppa pulls the crows away

Day 69: Owlet being harassed by Robins

Day 70: Various events!

Day 71: Momma taking a break in the afternoon