Category Archives: Year 11

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

Down on the Farm Birding Part 2

Year 11

With my surgery and recovery, I have fallen waaaay behind in posting. Just prior to going under the knife Molly and I spent some time down in SE Minnesota, on a friend’s farm near Lanesboro. As I have noted, now is the time to enjoy wildflowers in rural Minnesota (see part 1).

Right now young birds have fledged everywhere and are chasing their parents demanding food. The youngsters often look like adults, but flap their wings madly in the begging mode. A few images from the weekend just before my operation …

Barn Swallows

American Goldfinch

Catbird

Indigo Bunting

Rufous-Sided Towhee

Scarlet Tanager

Owl Harassed by Robins at High Noon

Year 11

Yesterday around 12:00 pm one of the juvenile Great Horned Owls was harassed by owls. The youngster felt the need to hunt even though dark was over 8 hours away. While Mom and Dad still feed the owlets, not all the time. This fact (not constantly being fed) makes the lousy hunters feel the need to hunt … often even during the day. This owlet (four months old and looks like an adult) will be kicked out of the Lester / Amity Forest by its parents within two months. Make certain you turn on the audio for the video. You will learn the sound of alarmed robins. (video link for email subscribers)

Great Horned Owl Juvenile

Hunting Robins … Harassed by Same