Moose were not the only wildlife I saw yesterday. This birding season continues to be amazingly good in terms of seeing Spruce Grouse (normally very hard to find). Yesterday I saw two Spruce Grouse, and unlike on other birding outings, I scared these birds on purpose. While I am not anti-hunting, I knew there were some grouse hunters about two miles behind me on Stony River Forest Road, and I did not want the spruce I had found getting plugged.

Amazingly this particular Spruce Grouse did NOT want to be scared. In the first image I am only three feet from the bird, and it would not spook / fly.

Finally by my jogging towards the bird I convinced it to fly up into a nearby spruce tree. I took a few more images (see below), and once again had to walk within three feet to convince the bird to fly DEEP into the forest. Go figure?? You can tell the grouse is watching me!

This morning I checked berries and crabapples. While I did not expect to find many birds yet at my favorite “fruit haunts” going up the shore from my house into Two Harbors, and inland, I was very curious to learn the status of this year’s Mountain Ash and Ornamental Crabapple crop. The answer is unlike last year when a late frost killed much of the fruit, we have a great crop in 2022. Thus, soon it will be time to find birds migrating south into my area with the goal of eating fruit this winter!

Bull Moose Times 2! While forest fires are tragic, a fire brings rebirth to the forest. These two bull moose were enjoying fresh greens this morning in the Greenwood Forest Fire Burn Area, or were they looking for Lady Moose?! We men … eat first and then love, or vice versa?! LOL! (as a fyi … late September through October are when Moose are interested in love)

I wanted to bird Stony River Forest Road this morning north of Two Harbors. I had not been on the road since last Fall’s Greenwood Forest Fire. While the fire never reached Stony River Forest Road, it got mighty close and most of the route was used as a fire block. Given the land cleared for the fire block, it is now rare that the forest ever gets tight on the western edge of the road. Normally there was always 100 to 125 yards of open space / land on that side.

Unlike many areas that have been recently logged, the fire block clearings were not torn up and barren. Active meadows, brush and bog were almost always present. By having all this open space next to the forest’s edge, in the years ahead this road will become an ever better wildlife magnet! There were frequent log piles.

As sunrise was at 6:55 am this morning, and I wanted light in the woods, I timed my arrival for shortly after sunrise. Thus at 7:15 am I started driving from the southern end of Stony River Forest Road where it begins at Lake Cty. 15 / Forest Rd. #11. The road was still fully shaded and the sun was not yet peaking over the trees. Stoney River Forest Road tracks slightly northeast. In total my trip on the forest road with birding stops took 1 hour and 45 minutes finishing the 41 miles at 9:00 am (20.5 miles up to Mn. Hwy #1, and 20.5 miles back).

You will NOT find Stony River Forest Road on Google Maps, but there is a wooden sign showing the road’s name where it begins at Lake Cty. #15. Thus, if you use Google Maps, ignore ALL directions for this road. At any subsequent intersection just stay straight and you will reach Mn. Hwy. #1 (as noted … distance of 20.5 miles). Google Maps links to Stony River Forest Road’s endpoints are found later in this post.

Stony River Forest Road may easily be driven by two wheel drive vehicles assuming NO snow. During my 1 hour and 45 minutes roundtrip, I saw the following:

• 7 Spruce Grouse
• 2 Whitetail Deer
• 2 Timber Wolves
• 2 Logging Trucks
• Various Hawks

Road Notes: Stony River Forest Road was easily wide enough to allow me to pull over and let the trucks pass me. I did not see any trucks on the first half of my drive. I believe loggers do not work on Sundays, but the truckers were very courteous. Given the logging operations, if you park do NOT block the road! Move well over to the side.

Here are two Google Maps links to the southern and northern ends of Stony River Forest Road:

• Southern End of Road (at Lake Cty. #15 / Forest Rd. #11)
• Northern End of Road (at Mn. Hwy. #1)

Pictures of a few Spruce Grouse from this morning

Given some years I do not see even a single Spruce Grouse, it is rather amazing and fun to have seen ten individuals just this week via two different birding excursions!