Tag Archives: MN North: Greenwood Creek Bog

Boreal Forest Birding Bliss

Year 11,

Sleep and Food at home are wonderfully rejuvenating! With a limited endorsement from my wife and medical team, I drove north starting at sunrise both yesterday and this morning to the Greenwood Creek Bird Feeders. My goal was to refill the feeders and take hikes into the bog, but my real goal was to rebuild confidence. While I’m still getting medical care, I had been released from the hospital w/o restrictions, but I suspect Essentia St. Mary’s have a limited number of patients where this means escape off the grid to the Superior National Forest.

Regardless, mission accomplished! I have had a fantastic time both hiking on Superior Nation Forest Road and cruising the first 10.5 miles of Stony River Forest Road (still in rough shape … not yet repaired).

Here are a sequence of cell phone pics from my walk followed by a Spruce Grouse that strutted its stuff for me this morning. The hiking pics are driving exactly 6/10 of a mile in from Lake County #2, and parking by the rock pile. This walk was 1.4 miles round trip and quite easy.

Spruce Grouse from this Morning

Now, if everyone will grant me some leeway. Just prior to entering the hospital I took a few bird outing including a trip to the Toomey-Williams Forest Road in the Pine Island State Forest Wilderness a bit west of Big Falls, Minnesota. The images are all about two weeks old just before entering the hospital for 8 days. I finally have the energy to process photographs.

These White-Winged Crossbills were mad at a two Broad-Winged Hawks that were “hanging in the area”

And a Red-Tailed Hawk hunting back by Big Falls

Finally a Bald Eagle preening at Stony Point.

Finally the real treat for this morning was having a super long conversation with the Fond-du-Lac Tribal Conservation Officer about wildlife. I think we talked for over 45 minutes, and he gave me two pieces of amazingly tasty Moose jerky which he had made himself.

Olympic Boreal Forest Bog Hurdles

Year 11

Yesterday I hiked into the Greenwood Creek Boreal Forest Bog to retrieve and replace my trailcam’s simm card. I had mounted the camera two weeks ago near a huge downed white pine. My thought process was the large tree would create a barrier for anything living, and thus potentially provide some interesting photographs. In addition I learn what is visiting the bog, and the time of day.

The Judges’ scores … straight from Paris. In the first ever holding of the Boreal Forest Greenwood Creek Boreal Bog Championship Hurdles … the gold medal goes to … Momma Moose and her Calf!!!. The moose family took on the Boreal hurdles w/o breaking stride.

The US Forest Work Crew is only awarded a silver medal. They stopped, discussed and cut a section away from the white pine allowing everyone to avoid the jump! Make certain to watch all the videos! The forest service was already deep in the woods by 7 am, while the moose on their day of competition were also active very early in the morning.

Please note how well protected the work crew is both from the bugs and the elements.

Video links for email subscribers … (videos embedded in blog post below images)

A small portion of the work crew when they first approached the hurdle

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.