Hoot was not overly cooperative this morning. If not for all the grackles and robins making a fuss over its presence, I would never have found the Great Horned Owl. I was standing only 50 yards away from the tree in which the bird was perched, but with all the leaves I needed some assistance. After taking a few photographs I hiked home to have some breakfast with my grandchildren. Eventually after a respite of about 90 minutes I hiked once more over to the “owling grounds”. Neither of the two owls I have found earlier this morning had moved an inch. I came home.
I have no idea what was up in the sky, but Hoot definitely saw something yesterday morning, perhaps Superman! I looked up for a long time but saw nothing.
It has been fun having refound my Great Horned Owl family, including Hoot. This morning I watched two of the triplets hunt robins and grackles at 6:30 am. The little guys (not so little anymore) are learning how to hunt. Mom and Dad are still delivering food. Until I realized how much time my owl friends were spending upon the ground, I missed seeing them many times. Now I know to spread out my search efforts from the ground to the tree tops.
Hoot Sees Something (I did not)
Posing Nicely for Me! (I left Hoot sitting on this perch after 20 minutes)
One hundred years ago most of northern Minnesota was clear cut by the logging industry. At the time, a logging railroad and bridge trestle bridge was constructed across Northstar Lake where I now own a cabin. Fast forward 100 years, and the Boreal Forest has reclaimed the land and the trestle is slowly falling into the lake. Little did these lumbermen know they had constructed the perfect Eastern Kingbird nest! For the second year in a row, a pair of kingbirds have nested in the exact same trestle … at the exact same location. I visited the nest by kayak two mornings ago.
Eastern Kingbird Nest in Logging Railroad Bridge Trestle
You may enjoy learning a bit about the last logs drives. I own a video that is almost identical to this film: From Stump to Ship (1930’s Log Drive). In my case the film is about the last log drive on the Little Fork River in northern Minnesota, not Maine. (video link for email subscribers)
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After my kayak paddle, I took a 16 mile bicycle ride on Mn Hwy #48. This remote road is an annual trek for me in late June. The wildflowers are stupendous as evidenced by this photograph … Showy Ladyslippers, Buttercups and Canada Anemone
While most of my ride is through a forested area, there are a few meadows where I found these Courting Bobolinks! Get out there and enjoy Summer’s color.
