Category Archives: Year 7

Canosia State Wildlife Area Heron Rookery Feeding Frenzy

Year 7

There were lots of deer flies, horse flies and woodticks, but all these “undesirables” were worth the annoyance yesterday.  I hiked into the Great Blue Heron Rookery in the Canosia State Wildlife Area and had a grand time. This year’s crop of young are getting big, and that means all the Moms and Dads were busy feeding their HUGE youngsters. The Great Blue Heron Chicks almost devoured their parent. It must have been tasty fish.

And some still images. Parents get no respect!

A Baltimore Oriole got into the spirit of feeding. I saw it over ten times. In this photograph it has caught a waterbug which it will soon take back to its nest for hungry young.

Like always, it’s important to not be fixated on the sky (birds) when I am out in the wild because I would have missed seeing this Otter Feeding. I will admit I could not figure out what was on the menu for lunch. I’ve included a close-up of the otter’s mouth … looks like some kind of plant and not fish?? (video link of the otter feeding for email subscribers). I actually was privileged to watch the otter finding its lunch for over ten minutes from a distance of only 30 yards.

And some stills, plus the close-up of the choppers!

Summer Solstice Birding

Year 7

Today is the Summer Solstice! While I will not be at Stonehenge to welcome the celestial event, here in northern Minnesota today is still cause for celebration. First I will take everyone on a tour of my yard … wildlife and bird friendly in particular. Over the next few weeks the flowers will explode in color! (video link for email subscribers)

Hoeg H’Arbor!

Summer weather means it’s time to visit grassland birds. Yesterday I arrived at Sax-Zim Bog at 5:45 am. While I did not find any juvenile Great Gray Owls, I enjoyed watching grassland birds just south of the Bog near the Meadowlands.

Killdeer

Eastern Kingbird

This morning I was hiking in my forest by 5:30 am. I did find one of my owls, but it was not willing to pose for a photograph. When I arrived home from my hike, I took the video shown earlier in this post … then it was on to the Wisconsin Grasslands along Wisconsin Hwy #13 near Cloverland. A good time was had by all!

The many personalities of a Bobolink

A Wilson Snipe checks over its territory near some ponds.

Make sure you get our and enjoy the grassland birds. They are the last to migrate north, and the first to leave us to head south. It’s all to brief a visit.

Coming Soon!

Year 7

Sorry about the lack of recent posts, but I have been hard at work … a different kind of birding. Molly and I recently spent seven days at our small Northwoods cabin. I used the time to finish my initial draft of “Do You Hoot?!”. About two hours ago I submitted the completed draft for review. My new children’s book will tell the story of the Amity Owl Family.