Category Archives: Year 12

Greenwood Creek Bird Feeders Update

Year 12,

Most of my loyal readers know I maintain bird feeders deep in the northeastern Minnesota wilderness 40 miles inland from Two Harbors. It’s been a while since I have given an update. My feeders and trailcams have been out all winter. There is a nice plowed parking lot right next to the feeders. Learn more about my feeders including their GPS location via my Minnesota Birding Locations web page.

First the birding update. This morning both Blackback Woodpeckers and American Three Toed Woodpeckers were seen near the feeders. Neither of these bird species would ever visit a bird feeder, but these birds love the habitat in the immediate area. Apparently the very tall dead tree within a few yards of the feeders is a preferred drumming tree. I have seen many species of woodpeckers using this tree to drum, including the male American Three Toed this morning. The other first spot to check for the Three-Toed and the Black-Backed is about 400 yards down the main snow mobile trail. Both species were seen in that area this morning. However, the habitat all the way down to the bog (8/10 of a mile distant via the trail)

The feeders themselves are very busy. In addition to the usual suspects, there were lots of Pine Siskins, Common Redpolls, and Purple Finches visiting the feeders. Here is one of the Redpolls.

The mammals are also visiting the feeders. I assume the Canada Lynx is hunting the numerous Snowshoe Hares. The Red Fox is hunting voles that love to ear bird seed spillage, and the Timber Wolves are hunting whatever they darned please!

I have chosen to only show a video of the Canada Lynx taken last fall. This is a protected/endangered species, and my trailcam shows dates and times of day. I prefer not to make this information public. However, the US Forest Service is being given my Canada Lynx videos. I even found some Canada Lynx scat. Tomorrow I plan to go back with a plastic bag to collect same for the forest service. I suspect they will be interested in the Lynx’s diet.

Two more updates … folks … the trail is a snowmobile trail! My trailcam captured a car trying to drive down the trail, Forest Road #813. Driving a snowmobile trail in the middle of the winter is EXTREMELY dumb. The folks who did this are lucky they somehow managed to turn about w/o getting stuck. I guarantee not a single towing company would have been willing to risk the trail at this time of year. The car owners are lucky they did not get stuck. They would have to wait till the snow melt in April … and the ground firmed up enough for a truck to risk the drive to retrieve they car. The other item is DO NOT block the snowmobile trail when you park. The Aurora Snowmobile Club are a fantastic group, and they are the ones that are maintaining / grooming Forest Road #813. Thank you.

Red Fox at the Feeders (video link for email subscribers)

Timber Wolves on Forest Road #813 (video link for email subscribers)

Note: Even in the middle of a snowstorm, the second wolf found my trailcam! Watch to the end.

Canada Lynx on Forest Road #813 (video link for email subscribers)

In closing here is an image I took a few days ago near my house of a sleeping Boreal Owl. Once again, I chose to wait before posting. The Owl Irruption is crazy, or I should say people are crazy … thus the delay.

Lighthouse Great Gray Owls

Year 12

It should be no secret now during this Owl Irruption that there are three Great Gray Owls hunting the waterfront in Two Harbors. While most people tend to arrive after sunrise and enjoy watching the daytime hunt, I have a different goal … arrive 40 minutes BEFORE sunrise when the deeps oranges that come well prior to dawn may be seen out over Lake Superior. Such was the case this morning when I arrived at 6:20 am given sunrise would be exactly at 7:00 am. I wanted to beat sunup by 40 minutes. The only problem tends to be finding the owls in the pre-dawn darkness. Thankfully one of the three Great Gray Owls had chosen a perch well silhouetted against the sky. It was a beautiful morning! This irruption should end around the 1st of March. Enjoy while possible!

Great Gray Owl & Lighthouse #1 … 40 minutes before dawn

Great Gray Owl & Lighthouse #1 … 30 minutes before dawn

Great Gray Owl & Lighthouse #1 … 15 minutes before dawn

Great Gray Owl & Lighthouse #2 … 25 minutes after sunup

Canal Park Golden Eyes

Year 12

Yesterday afternoon about 3 pm I paid a visit to Duluth’s biggest bird feeder, Canal Park. I to watch Goldeneyes and there was a flock of over 400 ducks feasting on the Zebra Mussels on the sides of the ship canal. This feasting continues as long as the canal stays ice free. I like late afternoon because the sun shines straight down the canal, and also gets in the duck’s eyes. As Goldeneyes spook very easily, the lower sun out of the southwest allows me to get closer to the birds. However, dress warmly. You will be out in the open and be bashed by the cruel winter wind.

Post update (next day): The Canal has iced over. Thus no ducks are present. Check the live Canal Park web cam. Sometimes wind conditions change enough to clear out the ice. Otherwise, the canal will be wicked in with ice till the Coast Guard beaks ice just prior to the shipping season opening. Canal Park webcam.

Make certain you watch this video … the Goldeneyes all reappear, and then disappear. Ducks moving to the right are finished eating. Ducks moving to the right are about to go find their meal. (video link for email subscribers)

Canal Park Golden Eyes