Category Archives: Year 12

Willowsippi WMA Northern Hawk Owl

Year 12

Two days ago when the temperature soared and the winds calmed, I drove over to the Willowsippi Wildlife Management Area which is SW of Floodwood, Minnesota. I knew the unseasonably warm weather and mild winds would make for a great day of exploring out in the open, and I was rewarded! These wetlands and Boreal Forests are worth birding at any time of the year, and are included in my list / descriptions of areas I like to bird (free PDF download).

After an extensive I search I found this Northern Hawk Owl when it essentially came to me and started hunting next to the dirt road. One nice item about the dirt roads in this WMA is there is no active logging. Thus,  if the dirt roads are plowed, you need not fear a logging truck speeding down upon you.

Another treat of the morning was actually hearing the Hawk Owl sound off. I had heard there are multiple NHO’s in Aitkin County, and we are now reaching the time of year when owls, which breed earlier than other birds are beginning to think of love. I suspect the calm warm conditions made the owl decide to call out in the hopes another Northern Hawk Owl might hear its calls and visit! Remember, hawk owls tend to hunt by sight during the day. Thus, hearing a “hoot” during the daytime is not as strange. However, I had never heard one call. In addition I even managed to capture this owl in flight (they are very fast). Fun!

Northern Hawk Owl Winter’s Hunt

Hunting & Preening …

The Movies! (video links for email subscribers: video1 | video2)

Hunting …

Hooting …

Later this same day, I would see Amy my local Great Horned Owl as she sang shortly after sunset. That post is coming soon!

Northern Shrike Sensation!

Year 12

While down in Florida recently I had a number of opportunities to watch and photograph Loggerhead Shrikes, the southern cousin of Northern Shrikes. In Florida the Loggerhead Shrikes were very accepting of human presence, and I was often able to get within 15 yards of the species. However, Northern Shrikes which breed every summer up in the Canadian Boreal Forest normally spook very, very easily. Getting close to the northern cousin is darned difficult. Both versions are known as “Butcher Birds”. Shrikes, actually a songbird, think like a raptor and catch small mammals, birds and insects. Have some nearby barbed wire? Shrikes will often impale their prey on the barbs for a future meal.

Thus, it was a fantastic morning on Wednesday when I managed to actually get close to a Northern Shrike, and watch it hunt for over 15 minutes. (video link for email subscribers)

Northern Shrike (7F in Northern Minnesota) (I have no idea what the shrike is watching in the 2nd image, and it is all puffed up against the cold in the 3rd photo)

The Southern Cousin … a Florida Loggerhead Shrike (70F outside!)

Great Gray Owl Hunts in the Pre-Dawn Light near a Lighthouse!

Year 12
There are magical moments in life … including one yesterday morning well before dawn. I watched this Great Gray Owl hunt in the pre-dawn light over Lake Superior with the Two Harbors lighthouse light blinking in the background. I like the period 30 to 45 minutes before sunrise because of the deep orange colors. Depending upon cloud conditions, I have found the reds and pinks tends to come 10 to 15 minutes before sunup.
.
I left before the sun even rose above the horizon. I needed to drive north and refill the Greenwood Creek Birdfeeders. Here is a sequence of images and a movie of my special moment (video link for email subscribers)
.

Great Gray Owl Hunts 35 Minutes Before Sunrise

Now in Sequence … my first view of the owl …

After 10 minutes the Great Gray moved to a pine tree

However, I really got excited when the owl moved to another tree in line with the lighthouse!

8 minutes later, I captured the pre-dawn takeoff. Notice the lighthouse is shining in the first photograph, but not the next three images. Total elapsed time for these four photographs is about 1/2 second. This is why one MUST use burst mode for photography. Lots of action happens in micro seconds.

The Movie!