I found two Killdeer nests this morning! It will be fun to see the fuzz balls in about one month. The decision to look for grassland birds grew out of yesterday’s cold weather. I even chickened out of my daily bike ride. A chill factor in the low 20’s along Lake Superior, even though it was quite sunny, was just too much to handle.
In the past I have noted when birded pay attention to the BIG factors which drive bird habitat. In my local geographic case it is Lake Superior. Thus, this morning I drove 40 miles and birded the NW Wisconsin grasslands near Cloverland. Near my house 75% of the wind directions come across Lake Superior or out of the North. Even a what should be a “warm” south wind comes across the big lake. Thus, I live in the Boreal Forest. This area warms up much later in the Spring than NW Wisconsin which has grasslands and mixed deciduous forest. As noted … I found my Killdeer this morning (and lots of Meadowlark, and even the very rare Upland Sandpiper). The farmers are to be complemented near Cloverland. Most them do not mow their hay till July. Thus, the grassland birds are able to raise their families without fear of tractor mowers.
Of course I continue to have fun with my owls. I visiting them at sunrise this morning (and sunset last night). Here are a few more images from those visits.
Squirrel! (see video in yesterday’s post)
I think they’re called feet! I have them too!
Siblings (Great Horned Owl Triplets)
Finally, as some of my readers know Molly and I love to bicycle tour. Late last summer we toured up in the Norwegian Arctic. Molly wrote an article (see page 32) for Adventure Cycling for which I provided the photographs. We have toured over 11,000 miles in the North American and Europe … the huge majority on self-supported tours. We still hope to tour late this Summer if the pandemic crisis abates … perhaps closer to home. (our bike tours … my trip diaries on the Crazy Guy on a Bike Portal). As a fyi … this is the tour during which I crashed and fractured my ribs on Day #2 due to my vision problems. I still bicycled for another 16 days after the accident. I will admit there was some pain involved but the Norwegian Arctic is stunning. Never give up in life!
Obviously I did NOT take this photo! Location is The Lofoten Islands.
