Tag Archives: MN North: NorthStar Lake Region

Northstar Lake Cabin Wine Walk About + Birds

Year 12

Happy Memorial Day Weekend from the Northstar Nerd (i.e. me … a nickname I have had for a really long time). Anyhoo … I decided to play around with my new toy / drone, which I will never use near birds, but is still fun in the right circumstances! What could be better than visiting a small Northwoods cabin on this All American Holiday Weekend?! Thus, here is my first ever Northstar Lake Cabin Wine Walk About (video link for email subscribers)

Oh yes … I focus upon birds, and my oh my have the songbirds returned in the past few days up here near Canada on the Hudson Bay Watershed in northern Minnesota. I have decided to feature the Baltimore Orioles which returned today. I heard nary an oriole yesterday, but are they ever singing in my yard today.

Northstar Lake Baltimore Orioles (male then female)

And an Osprey at Sunrise

Finally, let’s remember the reason for this weekend … all the men and women who have served our country, and some paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. I heard this person tell here story yesterday while out birding. It is worth a listen, and our thanks. Please, please listen to Army Major Carol Kirk, a Vietnam War Nurse. Browse to the Story Corps web site and her story.

I also have embedded the story in my post, but there is additional information about the Major on the Story Corps website. I had teary eyes after listening to her. They don’t mention when she tells her Vietnam story, that her own Dad died during World War II and her Uncle was killed in Korean War.

My Dad was a doctor who served during the Korean War. His hospital was a cave 400 yards from the front lines, and he took care / operating upon marine rifleman … many who died on the operating table. Dad hated war.

October Otters!

Year 11,

Molly and I are enjoying some beautiful weather up at our cabin a bit south of the Canadian border. Yesterday I spent some significant time starting at sunrise west of Big Falls in the Pine Island State Forest. Although the weather was gorgeous … crystal clear and 39F to start my expedition, the mammals and birds did not really cooperate. However, the strong southerly winds gusting to 25 mph had lowered my expectations. It is unusual on the first of October when the temperature climbs to the high 60’s. Only this Spruce Grouse strutted its stuff for me.

This morning one could really feel Autumn. I took a hike in the dreary early morning to a remote lake. Although birds were again not really present, I found a family of five River Otters which let me watch them catch breakfast. While I love to bird, watching this family of otters for over 15 minutes was a real treat, and trumped my birding efforts! (video link of one otter’s fishing efforts for email subscribers … if you listen closely towards the end of the video you will be able to hear the otter chirping and squeaking … communicating with the other four family members).

Finally, here is an image I took yesterday of a “bog stream”. Toomey Williams Forest Road reaches deep into some amazing Boreal Bog. All that water must eventually drain out of the bog, and quite often the “streams” are amazingly straight (and wildlife magnets).

Of Comets, Moose and Large Kitties …

Year 11,

This morning I went comet hunting … arriving at 5:50 am with fantastic views of Lake Superior’s eastern skies. Sunrise was at 7:06 am; thus I was in position during the prime viewing hour (about one hour before sunrise). Although I scanned the eastern skies for 20 minutes with both my naked eyes, and binoculars, I saw zippo. The skies were super clear without humidity, and I was at a non light pollution location.

Four years ago from my cabin I had a great time with Comet Neowise at my northern Minnesota cabin near the Canadian border. That time I scored fantastic views of both the comet and the Northern Lights at the same time!

After striking out with the comet I drove inland to the Greenwood Forest Fire Burn Area. Something has been damaging my bird feeders, but I don’t think it is a bear. Thus I wanted to pull my trail cam’s simm card and move the camera to watch over my feeders.

When I pulled the images off my trail cam this morning I was excited to find pictures of a Bull Moose and a Canada Lynx. I know Poppa Moose is interested in the Cow Moose which has been hanging around the Greenwood Creek Bog all summer. Notice how Poppa Moose has branches stuck to one antler! He also has his nose to the ground. Moose have poor eye sight but great sense of hearing and smell. Perhaps he smells his lady love?!

Trailcam Pictures – Greenwood Creek Bog

The only bird that was willing to pose for my camera this morning was this Bald Eagle near McQuade Harbor. Molly and I are now up at our cabin and tomorrow means a pre-dawn trip to Toomey- Williams Forest Road west of Big Falls for me.