Oaks 001

There is still some color along the North Shore.

Oaks001

Oaks 002

Some of the oaks recently turned color and it is better color than I have seen in several years.

Oaks002

Split Rock Lighthouse

The shore near Split Rock Lighthouse still has some nice color.

SplitRockLighthouse

Gunflint Trail 001

I drove up the Gunflint Trail early one morning to check out the tamarack color. Tamaracks are a lowland tree and most of the wet areas along the Gunflint Trail have nice groves of beautiful gold color trees. They are the last to turn color in the fall. I stopped at a small lake along the trail to watch the beautiful sunrise.

GunflintTrail001

Gunflint Trail 002

The morning was calm so there were some nice reflections in the water.

GunflintTrail002

Gunflint Trail 003

Grove of tamarack.

GunflintTrail003

Gunflint Trail 004

Some of the best tamarack was right along side the trail.

GunflintTrail004

Gunflint Trail 005

The green of the white pine added to the gold of the tamarack.

GunflintTrail005

Gunflint Trail 006

Spruce and tamarack mix.

GunflintTrail006

Hen Spruce Grouse

I encountered a female spruce grouse while driving one of the back roads. I searched for the male because the male has beautiful red feathers on its neck but he couldn’t be found.

HenSpruceGrouse

Gray Wolf

A short time later I had an encounter with four gray wolves. One crossed the road in front of me and when I approached a second one and a third came out of the brush. I watched them for a short time but they were in thick brush making photos impossible. Then a fourth one came out from behind a log smacking its lips. That is what might have happened to the male spruce grouse.

GreyWolf