Category Archives: Year 10

Birding Good-Bye to Summer at Northstar Lake

Year 10

I spent the Labor Day Weekend and then some up at my NorthStar Lake cabin which is the southern most body of water in the Hudson Bay Watershed. Although the temperature reached 90F on two different days, this birder proved he was “RAM Tough” by bicycling on each of those two days. This is a personal achievement for me as it was just shy of three years ago I collapsed while trail running due to a misshapen heart valve. I spent 30 minutes on the ground (most of that time passed out) and eventually managed to hike out of the forest … meet the ambulance … followed by open heart surgery.

Rich Hoeg is RAM Tough (end of Suomi Hills Bike Ride this past weekend … found the RAM sign off a truck on the highway towards the end of my ride).

Before taking the pontoon boat out of the water, I visited two local loon families. I was disappointed to not find their juveniles. Normally I would expect the chicks to still be with their parents. Anyhow, the loons were busy preening towards the end of the afternoon. If you look closely at the plumage on their heads you can see the loons are starting to transform into their winter colors (essentially gray and white)

Labor Day itself I took two friends up to Toomey Williams Forest Road in the Pine Island State Forest. My friends were intrigued to see Boreal Forest Bog Habitat! The raptors did not disappoint, including this Red-Tailed Hawk.

Finally as we got near Northstar Lake and drove past the one farm in the area, a family of Black-Billed Magpies made their presence known. The magpies were busy eating at the Roadkill Cafe! Here in northern Minnesota we are at the extreme eastern edge of the magpie’s range. Thus, they are a rare bird unlike out west.

With this post I am officially welcoming Autumn. Here in northern Minnesota the temperature today will top out around 58F, and we have entered meteorological Fall.

Cooper’s Hawk Mantling its Prey

Year 10

My expectations upon heading out birding this morning were infinitesimal. The wind was gusting over 25 mph … not to mention the rain. In fact I wondered why on earth I was even trying to find birds. Only a person with a “birdbrain” would decide to go birding in such horrible weather.

With these extremely high expectations I drove over to the Forest Hill Cemetery (see Minnesota birding locations web page). Immediately I found Great Blue Herons and Belted Kingfishers looking for breakfast at one of the ponds. Moments later I discovered a “non fisherman” mantling and then enjoying its meal.

When hawks catch their prey, these birds often “mantle”. The goals of this behavior is to spread their wings and hide their catch from other predators. This juvenile Cooper’s Hawk was NOT interested in sharing!

Cooper’s Hawk Mantling its Prey

A few moments later … enjoying breakfast.

I watched the Cooper’s Hawk eat for over 20 minutes. Its prey (duck or goose??) was obviously too heavy to be moved.

Oh yes … the horrible weather?? On a normal morning Forest Hill Cemetery would have been full of folks taking a morning walk. However, this morning I had the cemetery to myself which turned horrible birding conditions into a fantastic time. I doubt my special time with the Cooper’s Hawk would ever had occurred on a nice day.

And two videos from this morning (video links for email subscribers: one | two)

Hawk Morning in the Boreal Forest

Year 10

The last two mornings have found me deep in the Boreal Forest near the Canadian border. Pine Island State Forest is remote, and has beautiful bogs … my favorite being Toomey Williams Forest Road. This road starts about six miles west of the small town of Big Falls, and for exactly 12 miles follows the path of an old logging railroad deep into the forest bog. For much of the road the combination of bog, small drainage creeks next to the road and dead snags provide a birder’s delight. It was almost exactly one year ago today when I came upon the most amazing bull moose on this road. What I never see on Toomey Williams Road, unless it is grouse hunting season, is other people. Even then I rarely see more than one other person over the course of a few hours.

When Toomey Williams Forest Road ends, I just turn left and follow Pine River Forest Road for another 8 miles. In total my loop from Big Falls is 44 miles long with 20 miles on dirt forest roads. Even the paved portions of my drive rarely have traffic. Over the past two mornings I have seen zero cars or humans during my time in Pine Island State Forest. I am in birding heaven.

For the past two days in has been Hawk Heaven with lots of Broad-Winged and Red Tailed Hawks on Toomey Williams Forest Road.

Red-Tailed Hawk on Toomey-Williams Forest Road

Broad-Winged Hawk on Toomey-Williams Forest Road

The Movie! (video link for email subscribers)