All posts by richardhoeg@gmail.com

Polka Power Bull Moose

Year 12,

I normally never listen to music or the radio while out birding, as I find it distracts me from finding my feathered friends, but on Saturday mornings I make an exception … because on KDAL Radio out of Duluth starting at 6 am for two hours, it’s the FunTime Polka Party! Imagine if you may this scenario … streaking through the pre-dawn darkness in your car while Hoop Dee Doo from Frankie Yankovic fills the Northland’s frigid winter stillness (video link for blog subscribers). One may also listen online.

Such was the case the last two Saturdays including when I saw this young bull moose in Sax-Zim Bog about 1/2 mile east of the highway 7 / 133 intersection on 133 … foraging south of the road in the recently logged area. Towards sunset yesterday evening I good friend of mine saw the moose in the same region.

The young bull moose (antlers already broken off)

And if you want the full, immersive experience, I pulled over in my car while on the way up to Greenwood one week ago … Polka Power Birding (and Moosing)(video link for blog email subscribers)

 

Snowy Owl Snowstorm!

Year 12

The Snowy Owls have arrived back in Minnesota! It took a while for them to make their grand entrance. Other areas throughout the North Central States, particularly Wisconsin along Lake Michigan were seeing the large white birds, but Snowy Owls anywhere in Minnesota within a few hour drive of my home have been a tough find. All of that changed yesterday, when I took a long drive and over the course of 24 hours saw not one, or two but three Snowy Owls! I should know from prior birding years our owls normally hold off till about mid December to make their grand appearance.

Of the three birds … only one Snowy Owl was cooperative in terms of posing for photographs. Here is that bird … photos increasingly close to sunset.

And one of the non cooperative birds … way up on a high tension power line sleeping away the afternoon (not unusual).

Early Winter Northeastern Minnesota Birding Report

Year 12,

A new winter storm is bearing down upon Northeastern Minnesota, and deeper snow could change the birding dramatically. To our northwest including the farm area of NW Minnesota into SE Manitoba, the plains are almost snow free.  Thus, there is little incentive for the raptors in those at this time areas to push further south … including more Snowy Owls. The Wisconsin DNR has reported the early surge of Snowy Owls this season has come to a screeching halt.

Some other notes:

  • Not a single recorded sighting of a Great Gray Owl in December has been recorded in Minnesota
  • Not a single recorded sighting of a Northern Hawk Owl in December has been recorded in Minnesota
    • The two previous statements are based upon eBird reports (do not give actual locations for these two species, but still DO record “grid area” locations
    • My own extensive private network
  • There are lots of Pine Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks and Common Redpolls around, but few are yet visiting feeders.  Look for Mountain Ash and Pygmy Crabapple Trees. Both grosbeaks and other species (Bohemain Waxwings) are visiting those fruit trees.

A female Pine Grosbeak enjoying a meal over the weekend near my home in Duluth Lakeside.