Category Archives: Year 9

Boreal Bird?

Year 9

Here is a bird I never would have considered a Boreal bird … the Red-Bellied Woodpecker. I photographed it in my yard yesterday morning, and although it is in an aspen, my neighborhood is dominated by white pine trees. It stays the winter, along with a pair of Northern Cardinals … another bird which never used to live up north. While hiking in the Lester / Amity woods, I often see the Red-Bellied foraging on both pines and cedar trees. It has obviously adapted to the pine forest.

Photographed during a snow squall … another major winter storm starts late tonight!

Red-Bellied Woodpecker (male … a female would have a gap at the top of its head in the red coloring)

Enjoying the snow (video link for email subscribers)

Emerald Ash Borer Larva

Year 9
Two afternoons ago I was actually on my way to fill the French River Lutheran public bird feeders, and I came across this pair of Pileated Woodpeckers. The ash tree is quite obviously dead, and I assume the woodpeckers were eating Emerald Ash Borer Beetle Larva. It is rather obvious this tree has been a favorite of theirs for some time … all the flaked off bark.
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There had been some hope the Emerald Ash Borer would not get well established in northern Minnesota given our extremely cold winter temperatures, but this ash tree is within 100 yards of Lake Superior.  Thus the temperature never gets quite as cold right next to the lake. Head 3 miles inland from Lake Superior and the temperature can drop 10 to 15 degrees (or be that much warmer in the summer).
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See in you can find the second Pileated Woodpecker in the third photo. It’s present!

And the birds at work (video link for email subscribers)

The Gift of Life!

Background, Year 9

I don’t like to post about myself. This blog is about the birds, but occasionally exceptions must be made, and this is one such occasion …

16 months ago a young couple in the middle of the Pandemic when none of us really understood how lethal Covid-19 might be … rescued me on the Lester / Amity Trails. It was October of 2020 and I had collapsed while trail running. I do not know the names of the young couple who supported a 65 year old gent such that we could hike down to the Lester trailhead, call 911, and get an ambulance. By helping a man who had collapsed, logic dictated that given Covid-19 they were risking their own lives. Thank you for the gift of life.

I had a genetically misshapen heart valve, and my Garmin showed I was on the ground for over 30 minutes. Today, after five surgeries (including open heart) and an additional five heart procedures, Essentia Health published a video of my story. Thank you … (video link for email subscribers).

Here is a photograph of me and my brother … a long term Covid survivor. We are both working are way along the recovery road. This winter, I have even been able to cross-country ski the Lester / Amity Trails (where Hoot lives) including its 250 elevation gain (five miles in duration). The photograph was taken last November (yes … I am still in shorts). We are having a laugh over our weekly medication boxes.