Category Archives: Year 8

Owlet Countdown Starts Today!

Year 8
Today starts my official owlet countdown. I found this year’s nest Feb. 21st and watched the Great Horned Owls mate after sunset. The female was on the nest by the next morning, which would be about one month ago. Cornell’s eBird site says eggs hatch after 30-37 days.
Given today is my own birthday, why not start the official watch today?! It can be a week or more before owlets appear from underneath the mom. Thus, the next few days which include freezing rain and snow are unlikely to yield any owlet sightings.
These images were taken this morning. You may need to maximize the mom’s photo to see her … well hidden. This is actually the first day I have seen anything but her tail feathers. Might there be some hatched owlets underneath her staying warm??!
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Momma Owl

Poppa Owl

Pandemic Travel

Year 8

Sorry about the fewer amount of posts than normal. My wife and I have both been vaccinated and are immensely enjoying time with our children and grandchildren. These visits limit my birding opportunities. However, this morning I woke up at 5:15 am at my son’s house and heard a Great Horned Owl hooting. I was hiking his neighborhood by 5:30 am long before sunrise, and now have told both his family and the neighbors where they have a locally nesting owl family!

Red-Breasted Mergansers!

Year 8

It has involved plenty of research, but I am slowly learning good birding spots north of Milwaukee (my son lives in a northern suburb). One of my favorite locations is Coal Dock Park at the Port Washington Harbor. Next to this park is a power plant, and the warm water outflow attracts fish during cold water times of the year, and the influx of fish attracts lots of fish eating ducks, particularly during spring migration. Remember the same granddaughter who I showed her first Snowy Owl when she visited Duluth at the end of January? This morning I took her birding to the the park / birding spot. She was impressed with “all the loons!” She’s still only four … her ID skills will improve! A little later in the Spring this location will be great for white pelicans. Better yet, birds tired and hungry from the their taxing migrations let one get much closer than normal.

Red-Breasted Mergansers