All posts by richardhoeg@gmail.com

Great Gray in Flight!

Year 6

I arrived before dawn … the ground fog was not too intense … and shortly after sunrise I photographed this “Great Gray’ in flight! 

Oh … you thought I meant the other Great Gray?! I still like the old name for this bird, or Whiskey Jack. Some folks may now insist on calling it a Canada Jay. If was fun watching a family of Gray Jays forage for breakfast till this Sharp-Shinned Hawk arrived on the scene. The birds near the South Logging Road then made themselves scarce (by the way … I did not see the triplets).

By this point the sun had been up for about an hour and I decided to shift my approach … exited the Bog to the farmland just south of the Welcome Center. I struck paydirt with Black-Billed Magpies. While this bird is common in the west, it is somewhat rare in northeastern Minnesota. I had a grand time watching well over 12+ magpies feed.

Amity Raccoon

Year 6

My buddy is back … only 30 yards from my living room window, and I think we both have the same opinion of the ongoing foggy, gloomy weather. Mr. Raccoon is looking out the cavity in the white pine and seems to be wondering if the sun will ever shine again. I sit on my window seat with the same thoughts.

Rumor has it the sun will shine later tomorrow morning after some ground fog to lead off the day. I plan on going up to Sax-Zim Bog. The Great Gray Owls seem to have had a successful year raising young. I am hoping to track down some young triplets at sunup, but these three owls are ranging over a wide area.

Sax-Zim Bog … Common Bird / Rare Find

Year 6

Cedar Waxwings do not hang out in Boreal Bogs. However, migrations with a touch of wind often pushes birds into unexpected places. Such was the case yesterday morning when I was startled to find a small flock of Cedar Waxwings on Owl Avenue.  In addition to the waxwings, there are still lots of Broad-Winged Hawks taking some time out from their migration to hunt in the Bog.

Today’s weather is a bummer for the Hawk Ridge annual festival … heavy fog, occasional drizzle and strong winds off Lake Superior don’t do wonders for birding. I live about one mile below Hawk Ridge. I have had a constant stream of migrating Blue Jays all day long in my feeders.

For those of you waiting to purchase my new book via Amazon (rather than my own web site), everything should be ready on Amazon by Monday at the latest.

Cedar Waxwings in the Bog (a first for me)

Broad-Winged Hawk