Yesterday morning I was up a bit before 5 am, and left shortly thereafter for Pine Island State Forest which is about a one hour drive from my cabin. While Mr. Moose (see blog post) did not make a repeat visit, I discovered that the local Spruce Grouse population was worried that I might be considering an attempt to become the “top male” of the forest. Even though it was the 2nd of September, just like their cousins, the Ruffed Grouse (see post), the Spruce Grouse were in a courting mode. Twice, I managed to walk within ten yards of two different birds, and each time the local challenged me and strutted!

The grouse need to be careful, the number of raptors in the forest was HUGE, and I’m sure most of them, including this Red-Tailed Hawk (photographed at Moose Land) would love grouse for breakfast.

Time now to review some Northern Lights photographs. I was not planning on heading outside at 3:45 am, but when one looks out the window of one’s bedroom, and realizes the Aurora is dancing over the lake, who could go back to bed?!

Yesterday I was playing hooky from chores, and chasing Moose and Birds in the Pine Island State Forest. This morning I am paying the price, and practicing the fine art of firewood stacking. In two days family and friends will descend upon our small northwoods cabin. While it’s warm this morning, by Saturday morning at sunrise the mercury will be in the low 40’s! While I love those types of temperatures, others including my young grandchildren may desire a fire be lit in the wood stove (our source of heat) as pancakes are cooked and consumed for breakfast. This is 30th year that the “Same Time Next Year” has met at “Hoeg Hollow” for Labor Day Weekend.

However, as noted, I am presently stacking firewood. I just took a delivery of firewood from a friend last night. Here in northern Minnesota where wood is an important source of heat, one purchases wood by the small truckload (not by the cord). Jeff now has a automatic dumping system on his small flatbed truck. Thus, he just dumped and drove off. Now my job starts. I took this photograph on my phone 15 minutes ago. One may finally get back into the bunkhouse which is extremely important for tomorrow’s late arriving guests.

Back to birding … here are some bird photographs from yesterday morning. The NW winds have started the southern migration with a vengeance. The top migrating species that I saw were cedar waxwings and yellow-shafted flickers, but the forest was full of birds … a fact very much appreciated by both local and migrating hawks … food aplenty.

Sunrise Strutting: Two Ruffed Grouse don’t know winter is coming, and are worried about dominance! The larger grouse easily tells the small guy to “bug off”!

Let the battle begin!

Sharp-Shinned Hawk (2 to 3 minutes after sunrise)

Broad-Winged Hawk (note how the pines are loaded with cones … should attract lots of birds, particularity crossbills!

Cedar Waxwings (juvenile on the left)

Time to go back to stacking firewood …