Sherburne National Wildlife Preserve Prairie’s Edge Wildlife Drive

Year 12

The family gathered in the Twin Cities to baptize our eighth grandchild, but as the younger generation when not at work (or school) tends to sleep in on weekends. Thus early mornings I could go birding and my choice both Saturday and Sunday was to visit the Sherburne National Wildlife Preserve (NW of the Twin Cities). I arrived both days around 7 am, and drove the seven mile dirt road loop. The wetlands and hardwoods makes for a birding Mecca. This time of year different birds are arriving back north from migration daily. This is an excellent place to visit from Spring through Fall. Here is the GPS Google Maps Link.

Just a few of the bird species I saw …

Belted Kingfisher (female)

Eastern Kingbird

Green Heron

Red-Winged Blackbird

Sandhill Crane (and blue-winged teal)

Yellow Warbler

My granddaughter’s baptism! (private ceremony before church)

Lake County 2 Highway Reconstruction

Year 12

As a fyi, Lake County 2 will be closed to all traffic at times this summer for reconstruction in the area south of Greenwood Lake. If you ever use this road to reach Ely or Isabella you should stay aware of the construction schedule. The posted detour will be over 50 miles! I will not be able to reach my Greenwood bird feeders; however the road is in horrible condition and needs this project.

Learn more via this article in the North Shore Journal.

Greenwood Creek Boreal Bog Canada Lynx

Year 12

Oh my … was my heart thumping after seeing this Canada Lynx early this morning!!! This was no where near the bird feeders. I was hiking deep within the Boreal forest when I came over a rise, and realized a lynx was inspecting something on the ground only 50 yards in front of me. Thankfully I was wearing camouflage and came to a full stop before the lynx looked up. In addition the sun was partially behind me, and the strong breeze was at the big cat’s back (i.e. it could not smell me). The cat finally looked up and started walking right towards me! Upon seeing me, it dropped down to the ground an gave me a loooong stare for over a minute.

Lynx are an endangered species in northern Minnesota. The Superior National Forest estimates there are only 136 of these beautiful creatures in northeastern Minnesota. Thankfully the population seems to be increasing (read more on the the Superior National Forest’s Lynx web page.

Actually, due my trailcam sightings I have known for over one year there were lynx in the the area, but I had never seen one with my own eyes. That fact changed this morning!!!

Superior National Forest Canada Lynx

The lynx and I had a “stare down” once the big cat realized I was in front of it on the trail. Note its HUGE paws which are optimized for running across northern Minnesota’s deep snow as it preys upon snowshoe hare.