All posts by richardhoeg@gmail.com

For the Love of Owls!

Year 13

It is owl prime time courting here in the Northland, and the hoots and toots will only increase as we head through March into early April. In the past week the leading edge of the Northern Saw-whet owl spring migration has reached NE Minnesota. While some saw-whets remain north all winter, most migrate to areas with a milder climates and less snow. As early returnees get the prime habitat, most evenings after sundown have a toot fest. Add the Saw-whet chorus to the Great Horned Owls love hoots, and it is positively loud at night out in the woods!

Over in Superior, the Snowy Owls will soon depart for the Arctic tundra and their own “love fields”. I took time yesterday to visit with “war bird Snowy” at the Richard Bong Airport. The mild temperatures and winds meant the owl was willing to appear and hunt long before sundown. Here are a few photos I took of this Snowy Owl. The bird has a tendency to fly back and forth between its two favorite hunting perches … the left wing of the PBY Catalina Flying Boat, and the nearby fence. It was fun hearing the owl scream in defiance when two crows had the nerve to express their displeasure over the owl’s presence.

War Bird Snowy!

Taking Off from the PBY Catalina

Magical Birding Morning in Sax-Zim Bog (Barred Owl Hunting)

Year 13

I had not been on Admiral and McDavitt Roads since early December. While these are great birding roads, I tend to go elsewhere during the prime winter months and leave these two locations for the Bog’s visitors. However, over the past week I had noticed the number of eBird reports had dropped radically for Sax-Zim Bog, and I know from experience that most tour groups finish their visits to northern Minnesota by the last full week in February.

Jackpot! I spent 90 minutes on these two prime birding roads, and saw nary another person the entire time. I did have to deal with two snow plows but surprisingly even when the monster, loud trucks plowed within 15 yards of the the owl, it did not flush. I felt certain I would get some flights photos, and have about 20 images of two snow plows and an owl which seems to be thinking, what … me worry?!

Anyhow … from this morning!

Admiral Road:

  • Barred Owl
  • Gray Jays / Canada Jays
  • Pine Grosbeaks

Barred Owl … Hunting Movie (video link for email subscribers)

McDavitt Road:

  • Evening Grosbeaks

Highway 47: (The flight pic of the NHO is from an earlier birding excursion, but never processed. I have been watching this owl since right after Thanksgiving, and enjoyed two weeks with the bird before it was discovered by “the rest of the birding world”.)

  • Northern Hawk Owl

Now is a great time to visit the Bog. The feeders will remained filled for about two weeks, with the Welcome Center still being open. One may now enjoy the solitude, particulary during mid week like today.

Surfing the Arctic Riviera at Stoney Point on Lake Superior

Year 13

While driving home from my morning’s bird outing at the Greenwood Creek Bird Feeders (-16F with 2 feet of new snow), I stopped by Stoney Point on Lake Superior which is 12 miles from my house. This location is often great for birding during both the northern and southern bird migrations. While I did not see any cool birds, some locals were surfing. Uff Dah! The surfers had to dodge ice flows.

The images are all taken from the same vantage point, with different camera lenses including varying degrees of zoom. Last week’s blizzard with its 60+ mph winds have totally ice crusted the trees near the shore.