Category Archives: Year 13

Northland News Flash: Moose Love Birdfeeders!

Year 13,

Answering the immortal question, do Moose eat sunflower seeds? Apparently the answer is “yes”, as a couple of Moose are raiding my Greenwood Birdfeeders in the middle of the night. Actually, give how Deer love birdseed this answer should not have surprised me. I googled my question to make certain, and Outdoor Life provided me a definitive yes in one of their articles. Anyhow … a trailcam pic from my now renamed … Moose Feeders.

Other mammals visiting my birdfeeders over the past two weeks include timber wolves, red fox, and a Canada Lynx. However, I think their visits are oriented towards preying upon the mice and voles that eat the seed spillage.

Birdfeeder Theft by Moose … the Movie! (video link for blog email subscribers)

Here is a trailcam pic of the lynx. As a fyi, most the mammals tend to visit either at night of during the last hour of daylight or within the first hour of sunrise.

And on the birding front … there are lots of Snowy Owls at the Superior Airport allowing close views (50 yards or less). Arrive about one hour before sunset on a non windy day and check out both the airport, the fairgrounds and Tower Avenue which borders a runway. There are at least three white owls! From Monday afternoon. This photo was taken from the Aldi Supermarket Parking Lot.

Finding this year’s nest!

Year 13

I am working hard at triangulating this year’s GHO Nest. Up here, Amy and Les the Second normally nest by mid February. My sound listening device can listen “live” for me and play the audio feed also in real time while I sit on the couch, in front of the fire, and enjoy a glass of wine. Last year I either had to open a window to hear the owls (it’s 12F outside right now), or bundle up and be outside! This is much nicer!!!

Oh yes … saw three Snowy Owls at the Superior Airport late this afternoon. Pics coming! Also drove up to Greenwood at sunrise this morning. Hiked the snowmobile trail to swap SD cards for my trailcams. Never any snowmobile traffic during the week. Appears to be five unique individual moose hanging out near my feeders, plus a few wolves, fox, and a Canada Lynx. The hour prior to sunset is a common time for the mammals to be active. Friday and Saturday evenings are poor times as that is when the snowmobiles tend to be on the trail. No snowshoes are necessary. Trail well packed. Stop and listen. I see lots of Black-Backed Woodpeckers.

Loggerhead Shrikes Shazam!

Year 13

Okay, I will admit it … I like watching Loggerhead Shrikes (and their Up North cousin, the Northern Shrike). These little songbirds have an attitude, and think they are a full fledge raptor. They even sometimes impale their prey on barbed wire. Uff Dah!

In case you missed it, my previous post … Loggerhead Shrikes Love! However over the past two days I have had some great shrike watching … first at Estero Bay State Preserve, and then at West Harns Marsh. Even though I had drizzle / cloudy conditions, the shrike couple performed for me this morning. Enjoy! Home to Northern Minnesota tomorrow morning.

Estero Bay Loggerhead Shrike: I actually saw this shrike fly over and land extremely close to where I was standing, on the other side of a palm tree. I knew I dare not move, but there was a small gap in through the palms which allowed me to watch the bird hunt.

West Harns Marsh

Loggerhead Shrike … The Movie! (video link for blog email subscribers)