Tag Archives: MN North: Pine Island State Forest

Fall Colors Birding

Year 13, , ,

There is still time to get out and enjoy the Boreal Forest & Bog’s second foliage season. As I have stated many times, while everyone loves the Maples with their vibrant reds and yellows, not long after these leaves fall the “Golden Tamarack Time” starts. These pine trees which love the boreal bog habitat lose their needles every year, and to the uninformed makes the late fall / winter landscape in these areas look like lots and lots of dead trees. The Tamarack Pine turn bright gold before falling. An early morning drive or hike in northern Minnesota’s bog country is a study in gold. This weekend may be your last opportunity to enjoy the gold.

I practice what I preach. Enjoy these images (and video) from Tamarack Time. I’ll lead off with a short clip from a drive along Toomey-Williams Forest deep in the Boreal forest wilderness somewhat near Big Falls, Minnesota. (video link for blog email subscribers).

Next are some images I took of a Red-Tailed Hawk that supervised my hike swapping out my trailcam SD cards near Greenwood Creek.

On my birding travels I did exit the forest for a farm area south of Sax-Zim Bog where I am often able to spy some Ring-Necked Pheasants … still more gold (and some lingering green)!

Toomey Time Birding & Spruce Scent Branches (Lynx et al)

Year 13,

This is my favorite birding time of year … fall migration. While it’s possible to get totally skunked while out on an excursion, it also is just as likely that one will have an amazing time … sometimes with unusual migrants. Remember, if you discover a cool bird, during Autumn if a good source of food is present, birds will linger in the immediate vicinity. Compare that to spring migration when it is a mad race to reach breading grounds to claim prime habitat.

Yesterday I drove Toomey-Williams & the Fiero Truck Trail in Minnesota’s Pine Island State Forest (west of Big Falls via Koochiching County Highway 30 … just south of International Falls). This is true wilderness. Expect to be “off the grid” and see zero other humans / cars except during grouse hunting season (starts September 19th). Even during hunting season, once the initial rush dies down, the woods become tranquil once again.

The bird of the day on both forest roads was definitely Broad-Winged Hawks. It is obvious the juveniles now must also now hunt for themselves, and parent birds are only occasionally feeding their first of year young. In 90 minutes of birding I saw ten broad-winged hawks, with most letting me watching their attempts to catch breakfast. Here is one such hawk …

Meanwhile over near Lake Superior I have been having great fun in the Greenwood Boreal Forest and Bog region. Both species of grouse are making their presence known early in the morning. I always find it comical that male grouse start strutting their stuff once more in the fall. I am pretty certain the ladies turn down their advances. Who wants to hatch grouse chicks in the middle of the Minnesota winter?!

Ruffed Grouse Stutting

Spruce Grouse Surveying

Finally I promised a “spruce scent” time. Enjoy this video of three different kinds of mammals checking out the spruce tree branches … black bear, Canada lynx, raccoon, and me … a human! (video link for blog email subscribers)

Toomey-Williams Forest Road

Year 13

I managed to take a quick birding escape a few days to “perhaps” my favorite spot in Minnesota for birding … Toomey-Williams Forest Road in the Pine Island State Forest. While my results were not fantastic, I did see many Red Crossbills and Broad-Winged Hawks. I am really beginning to wonder in the crossbills are irrupting south this year … the numbers are amazing.

Red-Crossbills

Broad-Winged Hawk