Tag Archives: MN North: Pagami Creek Forest Fire Region

Pagami Creek Wildfire Region Birding

Year 11

The Pagami Creek Wildfire was back in 2011 … 13 years ago. One may reach part of the burn area via Tomahawk Road. 17 miles of driving a dirt road brings you to a beautiful old wooden bridge right at the Island River BWCA Entry Point, and in the middle of the burn area. I love this spot, and now so do the birds. Shortly after the wildfire I saw my first ever Black-Backed Woodpecker at this birding spot. Remember, Black-Backs love recently burned trees. These days the woodpeckers are not as much in evidence, but other song birds love the area near the bridge. The combination of burned out trees and new growth next to the wetlands makes birds happy. A few days ago when I birded this area I also very much liked the fact that the open terrain plus sunshine meant zero mosquitoes!

Back in 2016 I spent a fantastic night watching the Northern Lights at this remote spot. I titled the post “A Northern Night to Remember!” Here is one photograph from that night taken from the wooden bridge.

For my excitement this week it was having a Common Yellowthroat, a bird normally heard but not often seen, spend significant time on a dead tree near the road.

Common Yellowthroat

In addition, the birding spot was crawling with Wilson’s Snipes calling out their territories. Learn more about birding Pagami Creek not to far from Ely, Minnesota and other Northern MInnesota birding areas … my web site’s index of birding spots.

 

Northern Nights Near Canada!

Background, Year 9, ,

Today will end my Covid quarantine, and tomorrow assuming I mask up, I will be able to reengage with the world. It will be fantastic to spend time with my wife. We have gotten behind in watching “The Crown”!!

As I have noted in prior posts this week, I am hard at work completing the second edition of Snowy’s Search for Color, and have pushed along on my new book … about Smokey the Great Gray Owl! Thus, it should be apparent that my case of Covid is somewhat mild!

Both of my two books on occasion involve using images of the night sky. Thus, after the hard process of making selections and processing edits, there two scenes will be used in the new book.

Milky Way deep in off the Gunflint Trail (It was so dark this night, that when I walked 25 yards away from my car, it was impossible to see my Subaru Outback! The BWCA is rated as having perfectly dark skies by the International Dark Sky Association)

Northern Lights over the Pagami Creek Wildfire Burn Area (I was 18+ miles from the nearest paved road and within yards of the BWCA. During this entire night of Aurora chasing I never saw another person or vehicle … only heard wolves and owls! The Northern Lights had been much more dramatic earlier in the night, but the contrast between the burn area and the Aurora was awe inspiring). The light painting of the wooden bridge in these images was done with the ever so brief use of a tiny flashlight (about 1 second).

Saving the Northland for Future Generations.

Year 9

Hurray! President Biden this morning cancelled the two “precious metals” mining permits near the BWCA. While I understand the need for well paying jobs in northern Minnesota, no job is worth risking the chance my grandchildren will not be able to enjoy an unspoiled Northland.

I actually had to leave this area right after graduate school when I started my work career … St. Louis County had the 4th worst unemployment rate in the nation at over 20% of the workforce. Thus, I personally understand the need for jobs, but not at the risk of what makes northern Minnesota precious. Thankfully I am back in the area once more. Thank you, President Biden. Read about the mining permit cancellations via MPR.

I took this photograph about six years ago at the edge of the BWCA, the Aurora over the Pagami Creek Wildfire burn area.

I normally keep political discussions out of this blog, but it should be obvious to any reader I love the Northland. I am not affiliated with either major political party and have voted over the years for both Democrats and Republicans.