Wildersmith on the Gunflint - January 31
Wildersmith on the Gunflint by Fred Smith
January 31, 2020
The territory heads into February having been on the mild side during January’s last segment. Although we have not been above the freezing mark in this neighborhood, temps in the teens to twenties have been not only comfortable, they’re down right balmy. Clouds having been the order, if there‘d been any sunshine, one would have been tempted to slip out onto the deck and catch a few rays. Gunflinters are tough!
The snow happening in the upper Gunflint of a week ago did not match the previous weekend. Nevertheless, the Wildersmith fluff accumulated enough to require a few more hours of shoveling, blading and blowing to put the stuff in its place. All of this occurred while I battled my annual episode of the January “crud.”
With the second sled dog event of the season quietly trekking through the Gunflint woods last Monday, and being so unusually warm, one would think it was not as pleasant as the canines’ and their mushers appreciate. These furry athletes have a much greater affection for minus temperatures, so there was likely slower daytime running and more aggressive running in the darkness hours.
It seems certain, this leg of the 36th John Beargrease Marathon, through the Gunflint wilderness, was a laborious test of their love to run. One hopes a little cool down blessed them as they headed toward the Grand Portage finish line. See the John Beargrease Sled Dog Race online for more historic insights. By the way this was a qualifying event for The Anchorage/Wasilla to Nome Iditerod.
Speaking of laboring, yours truly has a number of cold season tasks including wintertime brush burning and a few sawdust producing jobs in the wood shop. Notwithstanding the sniffles and coughing, I have been delayed getting at those jobs in order to rake snow off the roof. This past week was my second repetition since the first of 2020.
This necessary, but un-pleasant chore has an equivalent value similar to cleaning up the woods after a wind storm. Of my favorite things to do in wild country, it’s about a minus one, on a range of ten.
“Survival of the fittest” and “being the cleverest” are buzz slogans in our “wild neighborhood.” I observed an interesting happening confirming being clever is a necessity of life in some situations. This circumstance involved a couple blue jays at the feed trough and a ham bone.
The jays were recently hanging out with many of the neighborhood blue bully clan feasting on seeds, corn on the cob, suet, peanut butter cakes and a left over ham as the daily special. Quite a menu Huh! The jays took a keen liking to the greasy residuals on the bone.
For once they seemed actually courteous, lining up one after another to peck away at the goodies. This went on for better part of an hour until the boney process was nearly bare.
As final pecks appeared to be in order, two of the “Gunflint Blues” were on the tray together, within inches of each other. One, appeared to have rank over the other, perched right on the bone, and stabbed a chunk of remaining soft tissue. Proudly, it straightened up in front of its’ kin showing off the prized element.
Bad decision! Before it could lift off, the other cocked its head, and promptly pecked the porky treat right from the other’s beak, going air-borne in an instant.
It was not exactly an act of picking the other’s pocket as one faced-up and without hesitation, pilfered right in front of the victims’ eyes..
This avian antic was obviously “clever,” if not more, plainly opportunistic. In the animal world, like many human situations, “survival” incorporates being clever and opportunistic. This wild country incident was an amusing example, as it revealed itself at the Wildersmith critters’ lunch line.
For WTIP, this is Wildersmith, on the Gunflint Trail, where every day is great, as all of Nature has meaning and beauty!
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