Category Archives: Year 7

The Butcher Bird!

Year 7

Bird feeders are sometimes not safe for “Tweety Bird” or “Jerry”.  I found a Northern Shrike hunting a feeder up in the Bog this morning. This bird may look small (about the size of a Robin), but is means death for songbirds and mice. Upon catching a small bird, vole or mouse, it vigorously shakes its prey back and forth till it breaks it breaks the neck of its catch.

Northern Shrike (Sax-Zim Bog, Minnesota)

One nickname for this bird is the “Butcher Bird”. You may wish to compare the Northern Shrike to its southern cousin, the Loggerhead Shrike which I saw in Fort Myers last week. Notice how the Loggerhead has a wider black band across its head.

Loggerhead Shrike (Fort Myers, Florida)

Here are the Cornell School of Ornithology links for both birds

Lady Eats a Vole (Snowy Owl)

Year 7

Lady put on a fantastic show yesterday afternoon, which I watched starting 30 minutes before sunset till after the golden orb had dropped below the horizon. As always, Lady is one classy woman! This Snowy Owl is “rad”! Unlike other local Snowy Owls which refuse to hunt till after sunset, I can count upon Lady to come out before dark and move around. It was fun to see her have an appetizer.

Down the Hatch! (lost the light within moments … the golden hour of photography)

Take-Off

Snowy Owl after Sundown (now that the sun is down, the owl is not basked in gold light)

The Story of the Owl and Magpie

Year 7,

Yesterday morning I met two birds which are extremely rare for my area … a Northern Hawk Owl and a Black-Billed Magpie. While most people would prefer to see the owl, I was extremely disappointed when the magpie exited quickly. Please understand I have NEVER seen a magpie in the Duluth area (this was not Sax-Zim Bog), whereas each winter I tend to find a few hawk owls. The magpie was giving the owl a piece of its mind. The two birds were in the same tree, about ten feet apart.

Upon getting home I discovered the northern / summer migration had begun. I saw three Bald Eagles  hunting Amity Creek across from my house, and a friend who lives a bit further up the shore saw five eagles. While a certain number of Bald Eagles remain in the Northland over the winter, I am positive these birds road yesterday’s 30 mph winds out of the south, and now will follow the North Shore of Lake Superior. It is normal for eagles to return north as soon as open water may be found, and this winter has been extremely mild with only a few days well below zero at night.

Finally, everyone always compliments me on my great photography (thank you). Guess what … I screw up on occasion. Where’s Baldy’s head?!