It’s not every day I get to spend quality time … about 15 minutes … and close enough to see the moose’s tongue! This is the second moose I’ve seen in the past seven days. You may also enjoy my Moose Slobber Trailcam post. There are definitely a lot of Moose near Greenwood Creek and Lake in northeastern Minnesota.
An more pics from this morning. First, Mister Moose at a distance.
Much closer … he stopped to eat and ignored me most of the time.
Very near the moose, a Ruffed Grouse was trying to hide from me. She had one to two day old chicks nearby.
I had commented in post three weeks ago that in late May my birding experience has taught me that Poppa Great Gray Owls often will hunt near the backroads well into the daylight hours. The owlets are demanding food (and also Mom)! (See my Return of the Great Gray Owls Blog Post). This increased hunting activity also begins my period of what heretofore have always been unsuccessful bushwhacking attempts into the boreal bog in a quest to find a Great Gray Owl nest. Normally all I find are mosquitoes.
This year I had six different locations scattered across northern Minnesota where I attempted to find an elusive nest. Paying particular attention to where Poppa Owls fly into the forest, I then try walking the bogs … not a fun or easy task, but “no pain, no gain”. This year I finally struck paydirt (paybog?!). Eventually I made two trips into the Boreal Bog to visit the nest before the owlets fledged. This post documents visit #1. Expect a second post.
Please understand I am ONLY posting now because the owlets have fledged and are able to fly. Thus the Great Gray Owl nest is empty, and the birds are safe.
Great Gray Owlet A (still in the nest … awake and sleeping)
Great Gray Owlet B (branching)
Momma Great Gray Owl (hunting and keeping watch)
Please note that Poppa Owl is the main hunter for the entire family during these early days, which is why one has an increased probability that one may find him hunting the roadside long after sunrise. Poppa Owl has four hungry birds to feed … himself, Mom and the two owlets.
Finally here is a video of Momma Owl. If you listen closely you will be able to hear her “talking” with her nearby owlets. It was actually because of her soft sounds that I actually found the nest. I was about 70 yards away in the forest when I heard the owls. Without their sounds I doubt I would have even found the nest. (video link for email subscribers)
All good thinks must come to an end, including my 3 day trip to the Fort Pierre National Grasslands, but I will return!!! This post has 3 “bird lifers”, amazing bird song, and even antelope! After all … the range … where the deer & antelope play! Listen to Roy Rodgers sing Home on the Range via Youtube!
Normally I do not repost a video, but my sunrise drive to a Prairie Dog Town with Meadow Larks singing every inch of the way needs to be combined with my Western Meadowlarks photos and video. Enjoy.
Sunrise Drive with Meadowlark Song (video link for email subscribers)
Western Meadowlark Singing its Heart Out (video link for email subscribers)
Western Meadowlark & Prairie Dog Images (same bird as in video)
Remember … find a Prairie Dog Town and you will likely also find Burrowing Owls. While a few owls may be perched outside their burrows throughout the day, in the evening all the Burrowing Owls will appear as the day creeps towards sunset.
Given my featuring Roy Rodgers and the song, Home on the Range, here are the Antelope … at sunrise and sunset.
And now some birding lifers for me! The most dramatic was the Lark Bunting (Cornell link) I saw the bunting my first evening while birding in the Grasslands, and thought it was both beautiful and dramatic, but I could not get in place for a photograph. Later that evening I googled the phrases “black grosbeak” and “black bunting”, and I struck gold with “black bunting”. Eventually I learned the Lark Buntings were most likely to come out of the grasses and sing by the roadside during the early evening. I was waiting!
Lark Bunting
Prairie Chicken (a kind of grouse)
Western Cowbird (I had just never before chosen to photograph a Cowbird. This bird has a well known trait of always laying its eggs in the nest of other species and relying upon that bird to raise its young.)
I’ll end this post with two birds … the Marbled Godwit and Dickcissels singing out at sunset. I had considered myself very lucky when two Marbled Godwits flew over from a distant wetlands and landed on the road right in front of me. Through research later I learned that Godwits nest in grasses distant from the wetlands where they feed, and apparently I had inadvertently started birding near their hidden nest. The godwits were most definitely not pleased with me. I exited the scene. Sorry.
And many Dickcissels were singing out at the side of the last dirt road as I finished my evening birding Wednesday. This was a great way to end a fantastic trip.
