Tag Archives: MN North: Greenwood Forest Fire Area

Winter / Spring Stony River Forest Road Boreal Forest Birding

Year 13

I have spent the last two mornings starting at sunrise on Stony River Forest Road (or real near by).  Please review the Google Maps satellite image shown below. By using “satellite view” it became obvious that I needed to focus more upon this area because of both the stream and bog. (GPS link to the steam crossing on the side road).

The pin is exactly 2.5 miles distant from where Stony River Forest Road begins at its southern end, and the stream crossing on the side road is exactly 1/2 mile from Stony River Forest Road. Take another look at the Google Maps Satellite View. This habitat screams wildlife including birds. It doesn’t hurt that when I collected Trailcam video’s yesterday morning after only a few days in place I already had evidence of Moose and Canada Lynx. In fact this morning I doubled down via my technology. I increased trailcams from 1 to 3, and birdsong listening stations from 1 to 2. Yes, my techie background comes through!

As a final fyi before the regular blog post content … the weather varied dramatically between the two days … yesterday 28F (-2.2 C), new snow on the ground, dark clouds, high winds and snow flurries … today 25F (-3.88 C), sunny and calm winds. Reminder … the dates were May 6th and 7th. Our normal high is around 59F (+15.0C).

Photographs are bellow the videos …

Hello from Stony River Forest Road (video link for blog subscribers)

Hello from Forest Road #811 (video link for blog subscribers)

Canada Lynx Trailcam Video (video link for blog subscribers)

Moose Trailcam Video (video link for blog subscribers)

And some images from this morning when the sun was brilliant. All the photographs were taken within two hours of sunrise … often within a few minutes of the golden orb appearing.

Wood Duck Reflections (unnamed stream)

The wood duck photographs would have been impossible at any other time of the day but sunrise. Wood ducks spook very easily, but with me between the “low sun” and the birds, even though I was only 30 yards away the ducks could not see me.

Broad-Winged Hawk

Ruffed Grouse Breakfast (eating Aspen buds)

Winter Birding: Timing + Location – Wind = Success!

Year 12,

Over the past few days my birding has followed this formula: Timing + Location – Wind = Success! While one could argue these variables are always important, in the winter I rarely head out birding without first consulting my hour by hour weather forecast (I use WeoWow) and have that app configured to take direct input from the National Weather Service.

In the winter I first research sunrise and sunset times followed by wind speeds (basic and gusts). From my prior birding excursions I normally have a good idea what locations to target my efforts. In the winter, food is scare and knowledge of food sources dramatically helps your probability of success.

For this pine grosbeak I knew that songbirds often “grit up” on remote roads starting 30 to 40 minutes after sunrise.  Thus, I like to slowly drive backroads at this time of day before stopping somewhere else for a birding hike.

For the Snowy Owls, while the white birds may perch in plain sight during the day, these owls get much more active starting one hour before sunset, or recently about 3:30 pm. However given Snowys love wide open spaces, strong winds will shut down their hunting as the birds roost on the ground in protected spots awaiting calmer conditions. I lke to keep wind speeds below 15 mph.

As an example, right now my weather app says wind gusts are 28 mph at 7:30 am. The net effect is I am staying home. Sunrise this morning will be at 7:50 am, which given the clouds means light which allows you to see birds will actually a half hour later at 8:20 am, but as noted given the wind I am staying home.

Yesterday I used my same hour by hour weather forecast and perfectly birded in a “weather window”.  At sunrise it was dead calm and 28F, but a few hours later around 11:00 30+ mph winds with crashing temperatures towards 5F would arrive. the forecast held true and I was 15 miles from home when the whiteout conditions arrived.

Greenwood Creek YouTube Channel at Sand Lake / Seven Beavers

Year 12,

Thursday evening Molly and I will attend a small reception given by The Nature Conservancy celebrating their recent land purchase of over 10,000 acres which has dramatically expanded their Northeastern Minnesota initiative, Sand Lake / Seven Beavers Preserve. As many of you know, I am the individual who most likely spends the most time hiking in their wilderness preserve, and provides the Greenwood Creek Bird Feeders for everyone’s enjoyment.

I recently created a YouTube Channel with a primary focus upon the Greenwood Creek Boreal Forest Bog in the Sand Lake / Seven Beaver’s Preserve. My goal was to have the channel finished before the The Nature Conservancy’s reception.

Please browse to my new channel and consider subscribing!

The channel is 100% non commercial and will feature the nature and wildlife of Greenwood. In the preserve I have remote birdsong listening stations, trailcams and bird feeders. A small trailhead parking area may be found 1/2 mile south of Greenwood Creek on Lake County Highway #2, which is also where the birdfeeders are located.

Learn more via this channel’s web links:

And that special night when Lady Aurora danced over Greenwood! (video link for email subscribers)