Blue Goose ~ Day 12

June 12, 2014 ~ Thief River Falls, Minnesota to Grand Forks, North Dakota

It was chilly this morning and the wind was brisk. I found a coffee shop, the Wired Bean, and settled in for a couple of hours, catching up, and then drove about 25 miles north and east to Agassiz NWR. I kept having intimations of fall. It seemed more like November than June, although that changed mid morning when the sun came out. But upon entering the refuge, the sky with dark clouds hung low over the marshes and water in a dramatic way. I always find that when I get near to a refuge boundary, the bird life picks up, and I saw Franklin Gulls in the fields on the way in, handsome medium-sized gulls with black heads. 

Entering Agassiz NWR

A friendly gentleman in the Visitor Center showed me where I was allowed to go, but due to “heavy equipment and recent rains” I couldn’t get too deep into the refuge. It it had been dry, perhaps, but not today. Still, there were enough roads so I got a sense of what the lower third is like. I was given an option to climb the fire tower in lieu of driving through all of the refuge but I quickly declined that.

Fire Tower at Agassiz

 I first walked the half mile Headquarters Trail, where I felt I was in a swallow circus as they constantly flew and swooped in wide loops all around me. 

Slowly the temperature climbed but the winds were strong, making the open water areas a muddy color with whitecaps, not benign and quiet at all. I saw one Canada goose family with their goslings out on this rough water, with one parent in front and the other at the rear. I spent an hour hear a spot with tall spruces, which are scare in this part of the refuge, and watched Yellow Warblers, a Least Flycatcher which hung around most of the hour, Eastern Kingbirds and what I think were Clay-colored Sparrows. While not abundant, there were still birds to hear and see, and I drove around for several hours. A Blue-winged Teal flew along my car just over the ditch, next to me at eye level, and I saw clearly the lovely blue parallelogram on its wings. The roads were mostly OK, but the van is not a Subaru, and it wallows in the softer muddy areas, and I have to be carful not to get stuck. There are two red wolf packs on this refuge and also moose, neither of which I saw, unfortunately in my relatively brief visit. The northern part is what they call the “uplands” meaning more forest and less water. 

I loved the morning approach when the grey skies and marshes looked like a cover from Gray’s Sporting Journal. As the day progressed and the sun warmed and brightened the marshes, the landscape became more ordinary, if that makes any sense. And since I was restricted to the wetlands, there wasn’t much habitat variety. I came upon a Double-crested Cormorant sleeping on a culvert, head turned backwards, until some sense alerted him to my presence and he slid into the water. 

Double-crested Cormorant at Agassiz NWR

I left after four hours and drove a perfectly straight road from St. Hilaire west to East Grand Forks, Minnesota, through rich farmland. The fields with new crops were were impossibly green (almost chartreuse at times) in the brilliant late afternoon sun. It was one of those roads that I love, as there was little traffic and long views in all directions. What is life like for kids growing up on these large farms? 

I wanted to stay in North Dakota that night so crossed the Red River, found a truck stop at the intersection of UW2 and I29,  sat in my car for 30 minutes assessing my situation, finally deciding  that it was too marginal and noisy. I googled and found a Flying J (chain of truck stops) at another exit about three miles south and went there. It was the best spot so far, by far. I parked behind an older model travel trailer, got comfortable and hung out in the van. I found that with pillows and position, I can read or type or take a quick nap as the Comfort Cot is big and cushy. Other non-trucker overnighters were in the same area, and the 18-wheelers who were steadily coming in off the interstate parked in a different area. The sun set over the prairie at 2130, and a handsome young guy came out and took a picture; a man walked his dogs… all was mellow sitting in the shade with my windows open and a full moon rising. The windows are tinted some, and I don’t worry much about covering them. Being in such public places makes me feel secure, and I am feeling more at ease with this way of traveling. I had chips and salsa for dinner. It was the most warm mellow June evening.