I had hoped to be up north of Duluth this morning in the forest wilderness, perhaps watching an owl hunt. However, the wind forecast held true (darn), and 30 mph wind gusts convinced me such an expedition would be foolish. Instead given the weather I went Christmas stocking shopping. Years ago I started a tradition in our family when I found a fantastic book store which also carried an amazing collection of magazines. While browsing that store I picked out an extremely unusual magazine in terms of topic for each family member, but which I also felt each recipient would enjoy. 25 years later I carry on this tradition, and finding four magazines takes me hours of shopping / searching. One of this year’s favorites is a 50 Year History of TV Game Shows, which not only gives the history of this genre, but lets one realize how much our culture has changed over this time period.

With my magazines chosen, I started to drive home. However, I quickly remembered the deer carcass I had found yesterday evening while trying to locate a Snowy Owl about which one of my friends had phoned. While I did not find Snowy, I did find four Bald Eagles enjoying their supper. Generally for about 48 hours it is worth revisiting a carcass in search of raptors. After that time duration, the crows, jays, woodpeckers, and magpies take over.

I was correct in my assessment and found one very hungry Bald Eagle late this morning. It was not going to be spooked off the carcass until a logging truck approached. While birds of any kind will often not move when a car drives past, a semi is certain to scare them away. Such was the case today and I was ready when I saw the lumber truck drawing near.

Bald Eagle Take-Off

Bald Eagle on a Deer Carcass