Tag Archives: MN North: Greenwood Forest Fire Area

Strutting Ruffed Grouse of Stony River

Year 10

It may be late August, but the Ruffed Grouse on Stony River Forest Road were strutting their stuff in northern Minnesota as they courted their lady loves! Such was the case two mornings ago when I drove up to the Greenwood Forest Fire Burn Area. While the rest of Minnesota was sweltering in 100F heat, I experienced 58F and heavy fog. While normally I would not recommend these conditions for birding, I had a delightful “birdy” time on Stony River Forest Road. In total I saw 12 grouse … 9 Ruffed and 3 Spruce. In addition the new juvenile Broad-Winged Hawks were out in force hunting near the boreal bogs. It was a great morning. As a fyi, the road bed of Stony River Forest Road is in excellent shape and even a two wheel drive vehicle would have zero problems on  this “minimum maintenance” dirt road deep in the wilderness. See my Minnesota Birding web pages for more information about this road. During my two hours on Stony River Forest Road I saw zero other vehicles or people, which will likely hold true till grouse hunting season.

Strutting Ruffed Grouse of Stony River … Courting! (2 unique birds)

Broad-Winged Hawks (3 unique birds)

And a short video of courting grouse … the guy! (video link for email subscribers)

The Forest Reborn

Background, Year 10
The Forest Reborn!
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I just wrote and photographed an article on this topic for the just published issue of Lake Country Journal. Although wildfire can and is often tragic, the article reviews the benefits of fire to our ecosystem. Our forests need to burn to stay healthy. My story includes research and interviews with The Nature Conservancy of Minnesota, the Minnesota DNR, one of the world’s leading experts in forest health from the University of Minnesota, Professor Lee Frelich, and Outdoor Writer and Photographer, Michael Furtman who owns a cabin right in the middle to the Greenwood Forest Fire region.
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Here is a photograph I took near the end of the Gunflint Trail. The location is the overlook near Gunflint Lake and the image was taken during the summer of 2020, 13 years after the Ham Lake Fire … beautiful once more.
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This is what the region looked like from the same exact location just four years after the fire in 2011.

Forest Fire Rebirth at Gunflint Lake
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Colder by the Lake Birding (and foxes!)

Year 10, , , ,

Colder by the Lake! As we drove home two days ago, the temperature was 65F across Minnesota … until Molly and I approached Duluth. Any weather forecast for the State of Minnesota at this time of year will always end, but “colder near Lake Superior”. The water temperature in the big lake is in the high 30’s F, which makes it hard to warm up the air if you live near Gitchi Gummi. Thus, 45F is a pretty common temperature at my house 800 yards above the shore if the wind is off the lake (or colder).

One practical effect of “colder by the lake” is spring food production starts later than spots inland. The Black Bear which raided my bird feeders last night understands this issue very well. Find a food source and stick with it! For birding, find the local micro-climate with food and migrating birds will be easily be found. Here are a few images I took over the past few days.

Amity Creek (my home area)
Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Canosia Wildlife Preserve (Pioneer and Rice Lake Road Wetlands)
Greater Yellowlegs

Forest Hill Cemetery
Hooded Merganser

St. Louis River at Chambers Grover
White Pelican

Duluth Area
Fox Kits

Stoney River Forest Road (Greenwood Forest Fire Region)
Ruffed Grouse

Note: Stoney River Forest Road is clear of snow, but as you can see, not Whyte Road. The snow in the Boreal Pine Forest is still about one foot deep.