All posts by richardhoeg@gmail.com

Owl be Seeing You!

Even though the cold winds and temperatures have returned, winter has lost its grip on the Northland. I was dumbfounded yesterday to see that the ice had gone out on two area lakes, Pike Lake and Rice Lake Reservoir. March 16th was the earliest ice out dates in recorded history … one month earlier than normal. Monday night when a southerly wind returns, I suspect there might be a strong push of waterfowl into the area. These birds often follow ice-out north.

Last week we did have some nice sun which gave me the opportunity to explore the “Looks of Amy!” Remember I live in Duluth, which means there is a huge hill leading up from the big lake … up to glacial Lake Superior’s shoreline. The hills sometimes provide neat viewing points for birds. There are many locations in the forest near my home where I am often able to be at eye level or even above birds that are still high up in the trees. Such is the case with Amy, Momma Great Horned Owl.

The Views of Amy, the Great Horned Owl (as two of the images are landscape photographs, you may wish to click to see at full resolution … you will better understand the white-pine nesting habitat)

Near the nest … from the ground but a raised mound

At approximately eye-level

From above!


The weather yesterday was very, very windy, which did not encourage much birding. Thus, I decided to work upon some video content from this winter … Great Gray Owls across the winter months.

Great Gray Owl in the December Sunshine (video link for email subscribers)


Great Gray Owl During the Falling Snow (video link for email subscribers)

Ring-Necked Pheasant in the Bog

Actually, just south of Sax-Zim Bog. The forests, farmlands and meadows near Sax-Zim Bog are full of courting gamebirds right now.  If you go out early in the morning you are very likely to find Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkeys … or in this case Ring-Necked Pheasants either defending habitat or courting their lady loves.

Ring-Necked Pheasant Walks on Water! (video link for email subscribers)


It was cold overnight … and there is no snow (unusual) to burrow down into for warmth … awaiting some warmth from the golden orb

Time to go Eat!

Battling Grouse of Northern Minnesota

If the post title sounds like the name of a new reality show, it is! Yesterday I was privileged to watch not one, but two twenty minute fights between Ruffed Grouse. It will soon be mating season in the Boreal Forest, and the male grouse which dominates its competitors in fights will be the bird that gets to control the best habitat and breed.

It was a good thing that no hawk, or other predator such as a bobcat / fox came by the battles. The intensity between the combatants was HUGE, and they had little attention for anything other than their opponent. If you hope to view this kind of fight, you need to drive remote back roads with little to no traffic. Nary another car drove by during each confrontation. I was ultimately able to approach within 20 yards of each fight, and never flushed the grouse. Everything ended when one bird finally gave up.

Battling Ruff Grouse of Northern Minnesota 

The Movies (I suspect most people will prefer watching the two versions of video 2 which are much shorter … normal and slow motion speed)

I have provided 5 minutes, 40 seconds of via Video #1. The first video gives you a sense of how the grouse would move and posture for about 3 to 4 minutes before a quick, short intense fight. The fights are vicious. See the still images. The grouse on the left ultimately prevailed.

Videos #2 and #3 are excerpts … only 1 minute 40 seconds … and a slow motion of the same fight slowed down by 50%

Video #1: If you only want to see the fights, and not all the posturing / feinting skip forward to these times in the video (video link for email subscribers):

  • Fight #1 – 0:18 seconds
  • Fight #2 – 2:10 seconds
  • Fight #3 – 5:10 seconds


Video #2 – Normal Speed:  1 minute 6 seconds in duration … normal speed … fight at 40 seconds (video link for email subscribers)


Video #2 – Slow Motion at 50% Speed – 2 minute 8 seconds in duration … slow motion speed at 50% … fight at 1 minute 20 seconds (video link for email subscribers)


Still Images (photos taken of one fight in sequence … no more than two seconds)

These photographs are from the second fight. Thus, two totally different grouse than shown in the video.