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The National Weather Service posted this image of the waterspout taken Sunday by a member of the public.
Waterspout sparks attention, little apparent damage
LAKE VERMILION— The National Weather Service reported a funnel cloud that touched down here this past Sunday afternoon, creating a large waterspout that was reported, photographed and video … more
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April Wamhoff
Keeping up with the island’s newest residents
It probably doesn’t take an ornithologist to figure out I have birds on the island. Fact is, I have lots of birds on the island.  I resist naming them but sometimes that’s hard. Some … more
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A male indigo bunting near the Junction Rd. in Tower.
The sound of summer
I was walking the other day near the Junction Road between Tower and Soudan when the languid song of an uncommon bird in our area, brought me back to my younger days. It was the song of an indigo … more
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Terry Sunsdahl displays bear-resistant food packs that are increased demand because of new US Forest Service regulations.
Forest Service bear order creates new market for Tower bag maker
TOWER— A new requirement that campers in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness either hang their food packs or use bear-proof containers has opened a potential new market for local bag … more
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Elderly lost hiker found
ELY- When Richard White didn’t come home from his day hike last Wednesday evening, his relatives here started to worry. The next morning, June 27, White’s daughter notified the Lake … more
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A rainfall map and accompanying chart pinpoints the heaviest rain in a narrow swath across north-central St. Louis County.
Storm of the century?
REGIONAL— While last week’s storm poured immense amounts of rain all across the Arrowhead, some areas received much more than others. Tucked within a broad swath of generally two-to-four … more
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A river runs through it, in this case, through a section of the Prospector Trail about a mile east of the Murray Road. The washout was one of several making portions of the ATV trail impassable.
Extensive damage to area ATV trails
REGIONAL— County roads weren’t the only travel corridors to take a pounding from last week’s torrential rain. ATV trails across the area were hit just as hard, with widespread … more
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Torrential rain sends area rivers into flood stage
REGIONAL— Most area rivers remained in flood stage as of Monday, nearly a week after torrential downpours brought anywhere from three to nine inches of rain to the region. The Little Fork River … more
A male yellow-bellied sapsucker peeks around the trunk of my prized bur oak, which I grew from an acorn from a tree in the yard where I grew up.
The bird that won’t leave my oak alone
I have a love/hate relationship with a yellow-bellied sapsucker. It’s complicated, I know, and it has a long history. For years, a sapsucker has been attracted to the two most coveted trees in … more
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A clump of lady ferns surround the base of balsam poplar.
The verdant ferns
This spring’s abundant rainfall has been a boon for more than just mosquitoes. Few of our native plants appreciate plentiful moisture more than the roughly 90 species of ferns that make their … more
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Kayakers explore Lost Lake SNA during a previous outing.
Reserve your spot for a kayak tour of Lost Lake SNA
REGIONAL— If you’d like to explore the Lost Lake Peatland Scientific and Natural Area but don’t know where to start, you’ll want to take advantage of a planned kayak tour of … more
With his family in the background, Sean Leary pops a wheelie on the 400-foot boardwalk that leads to the island-like peninsula and the resort’s accessible boat dock.
New resort to provide outdoor access for all
ELY- A young family is bringing a closely held dream to life on the shores of Birch Lake, where they’re about to open a brand-new resort to give people opportunities to enjoy the wilderness … more
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A red-headed woodpecker takes a sunflower seed from a local feeder recently. These uncommon woodpekcers have been showing up in the area in recent weeks.
A recent avian visitor brought back memories
A flashback from my youth appeared at our bird feeder the other day. It was a red-headed woodpecker and it took me a second to register what I was seeing, since this is a bird I’d only glimpsed … more
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Three-year deer study set in region
REGIONAL—The Department of Natural Resources is beginning a new three-year research project in northeastern Minnesota to gather additional data on deer populations. The DNR will place cameras … more
A singing black-throated green warbler.
Merlin: it’s like magic
When it comes to technology, I’m definitely the late adopter in the family. So, it was just last week that my wife Jodi showed me the latest and greatest version of the Merlin bird ID app, … more
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Water was well outside the banks of the West Two River following recent rains.
From drought to deluge
REGIONAL— Several area rivers remained in flood stage this week even as water levels were gradually receding from heavy rains that fell last week. The heavy rains, as much as four inches in … more
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A buck after its spring molt.
Deer now molting to their reddish summer coat
REGIONAL—Throughout the year, the fur coats on white-tailed deer change to match the seasonal weather and temperature. Every spring deer shed their thicker winter coat and replace it with a … more
Joseph Bump of the University of Minnesota, explains one of the images in the new exhibit.
A study in images
ELY— Making scientific concepts and findings accessible to a general audience has long been a challenge for researchers. Most scientific journals have little readership outside academia and the … more
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A white-crowned sparrow.
A white-crowned sparrow seems content to stay
Bird migration is always an interesting time for those of us who like to observe the natural world, in part because you never know who will show up and how long they’ll stick around. Most … more
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An image from the Fry prescribed fire before the burn went out of control.
Fry Fire brought under control
ISABELLA— The U.S. Forest Service declared a prescribed burn that went awry last week fully contained as of May 19, as light rain showers and higher humidity helped firefighters keep the Fry … more
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A boreal chorus frog sings away from its soggy home.
The spring chorus
Here in the North Country, the springtime woods can be a noisy affair, and few sounds are as symbolic of that seasonal cacophony as the calling of frogs. For years, I’ve tried (though … more
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A red sun sets through smoky skies last Sunday evening as dense wildfire smoke from Canada moved into the region.
Forecast: more smoky skies this summer
REGIONAL— This past Sunday’s incursion of heavy wildfire smoke into the North Country from north of the border was a portent of what to expect this summer and into the fall. North Country … more
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Area stream levels continue to show considerable bounce
REGIONAL— River and stream levels continued to exhibit considerable bounce this week as the impact of late April and early May rains faded. Area stream levels began the ice-free season at near … more
Anglers are expected to be out in force beginning early Saturday, May 11 when the Minnesota walleye opener gets underway. Pictured are scenes from the 2023 walleye opener on Lake Vermilion.
Ready and waiting...
REGIONAL— If there’s a consensus about the prospects for anglers when they hit the water on Saturday, it’s that the outlook is favorable for a solid opener. While water temperatures … more
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A pine warbler looks for an opening at a local bird feeder. Pine warblers are the only warbler in the region that regularly makes use of bird feeders during the early season.
The early bird
The return of warblers to the North Country is always a sure sign that spring is on its way, although a couple species can make an appearance even as winter is still holding on. Our two earliest … more
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