Category Archives: Year 10

Greenwood Creek and Forest Fire Burn Area Birding

Year 10

Unlike today (bad weather), yesterday was drop dead gorgeous … calm winds and crystal blue skies in  the afternoon. I took advantage of the situation and drove up to the Greenwood Lake region. Roughly speaking, the abandoned RR tracks immediately south of Greenwood Lake divide the forest fire burn area from boreal bog which did not burn. I love going up to this area because I get to hang out in the burn area and find wildlife (difficult) that is reclaiming the burned out habitat (it is 2.25 years since the fire), and then drop just a few miles south into boreal bog country! Last year by the end of December over 50 inches of snow was on the ground. This year in an unheard of occurrence, we have zero snow giving me amazing access to the backcountry (I want snow).

I was hoping to re-find the Northern Hawk Owl I found last Friday, but I was defeated in that effort. Instead the Black-Backed Woodpeckers (another bird species that loves recently burned habitat) were out in force.

Black-Backed Woodpeckers (listen for their tap, tap, tapping to find)

2 different woodpeckers that working opposite sides of Lake County Hwy #2. If you walk any distance off the road (which I do) be prepared to get ashes on your closes!

After some happy time with the Black-Backs I drove south to Greenwood Creek (GPS Location). As noted last year it would have been an almost impossible snowshoe into the Greenwood Creek Bog. This year it was a pleasant stroll along a dirt road / trail. If you want to take the same hike look for two small red flags a just south of Greenwood Creek near a highway bend. There actually is a parking area just off the highway. The roundtrip hike is two miles, and is very easy (sometimes very wet).

Here are a few images and a video of the bog from my hike

A Spruce Grouse in a Spruce!

And some Greenwood Creek Bog images / videos from my mobile phone.

The Bog

Greenwood Creek Bog … The Movie! (video link for email subscribers)

Someone else likes this Bog … a TrailCam setup

If you’ve stuck with me this long, here is a birding treat. Although I did not re-find the Northern Hawk Owl, my initial sighting was between 1.7 and 2.0 miles north of Sand River. The owl spent most of its time of the west side of Lake County #2. Good luck, and if you find the NHO, please let me know. Thank you.

UnWinter Birding

Year 10

Instead of snowstorms, there is rain and more rain. We are down in Milwaukee to visit my son and his family. This morning the sun made an extremely brief appearance. A local Red-Tailed Hawk was all over the break in the weather and was immediately hunting. I have now seen this raptor on four different occasions. It likes a “closed college campus” for its hunting grounds! The sunshine only lasted for 30 minutes, but it was precious.

Comment on the Plan to Kill / Shoot Barred Owls

Background, Year 10

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a draft management plan to kill / shoot Barred Owls to save Spotted Owls in the Pacific Northwest. The Spotted Owl is native to this region, and the Barred Owl is encroaching upon their range. I think this plan is morally wrong. NBC News and others have recently reported about this “draft plan”. You may wish to read their news story about the Spotted and Barred Owl conflict.

It is wrong to kill one bird species to save another. This action will teach Barred Owls to fear humans. In addition it was likely humans who messed up the old growth forest habitat with excessive logging. Should we shoot loggers? While you may not agree with me, anyone may comment upon this proposed owl management plan. The comment period closes on January 16, 2024. Most news stories do not include a direct link to the US Fish and Wildlife Service Draft Plan Comment Page. Here is the link:

  • Comment upon the Barred Owl / Spotted Owl Draft Mgmt Plan