Lake Vermilion Resort Association

On January 2, 55 birders counted birds in the Cook area for a 24 hour period. The count was done by car, walking or watching yards and feeders.  Weather for the day started with a temperature of -33°F.  Here are the numbers:

• Ruffed Grouse, 12
• Spruce Grouse, 2
• Bald Eagle, 3
• Rock Dove, 130
• Northern Hawk Owl, 3
• Downy Woodpecker, 31
• Hairy Woodpecker, 36
• Pileated Woodpecker, 8
• Northern Shrike, 1
• American Crow, 2
• Common Raven, 139
• Blue Jay, 134
• Gray Jay, 19
• White- Nuthatch, 60
• Red-breasted Nuthatch, 42
• European Starling, 53
• White-throated Sparrow, 1
• Dark-eyed Junco, 8
• Snow Bunting, 10
• American Goldfinch, 530
• Black-capped Chickadee, 707
• Pine Grosbeak, 182
• Evening Grosbeak, 101
• Common Red Poll, 113
• Pine Siskin, 52
• House Sparrow, 9

Some significant findings were:  sighting 3 Northern Hawk Owls verified reports of Northern Owls moving south in search of food; American Goldfinch numbers increased from 33 in 2009 to 530; Red-breasted Nuthatches dropped from 136 to 42; and numbers of Pine Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins and Common Red Polls were much less this year.

Thanks to the North Country Free Press for the information.

The following is an excerpt from the Lake Vermilion Sportsmen’s Club newsletter written by Scott Kelling, Tower MNDNR Parks & Trails:

“The Lake Vermilion area is the hub of a local land trail network that reaches in all directions. The Tower-based Vermilion Penguins maintain the Iron Ore Trail south of Tower and several links to the state trails off Lake Vermilion’s west end. Further north and west are the Bearskin and Wolftrack Trails, which are cared for by the Cook Timberwolves snowmobile club.

DNR Parks and Trails staff is responsible for year-round maintenance and grooming of another 300+ miles of nearby state trails including the Taconite, Arrowhead and Fishing Lakes trails. Voyageurs National Park, Iron Range and Ely area trails are also just a short ride away.

On Lake Vermilion, local volunteers establish 55 miles of ice trails that make travel safer and easier for snowmobilers. In addition to their land trails, the Penguins stake 37 miles of ice trails on the Tower end, while the Cook club maintains 18 miles on the Cook end. Wooden reflectorized stakes are placed every tenth mile to make navigation easy. Intersections are signed with “You are here” maps to help get riders where they want to go. Additionally, the stakes help guide riders around potential trouble spots like thin ice and exposed rocks.”

For up-to-date trail conditions for all the area trails, you can check our web page, Area Trail Conditions.  Information is updated as soon as it is available, or at least weekly.