I was hanging out in the woods two mornings ago when I noticed a Broad-Winged Hawk. As the light was behind me I decided to take some images, when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a second hawk approaching. Sometimes you get lucky!
Broad-Winged Hawks Mating in Sax-Zim Bog
Moments Before
Mating!
Was it good for you? Yes!
Moments later … moved to a different tree
Oh yes, the same day the sun stayed out at sunset and for a change, Poppa Owl left his “hidey hole”.
Amity Great Horned Owls Poppa is always on guard near by, but buried in a White Pine
I actually was first able to spy “Fuzz Ball the 2nd” two days ago, but I was so excited with my local evening grosbeaks yard birds (still here this morning), that Fuzz Ball had to wait for its own blog post. In fact, I went outside this morning at 6:15 am … in the rain … to insure the bird feeders were full and ready to welcome any evening grosbeaks.
Monday it was a cold, wet, and windy day. I really wasn’t very motivated to go birding, but I was concerned that my owls would think I did not like them anymore. Thus, in the drizzle I hiked over to the nest and discovered “Fuzz Ball the 2nd!” Both owlets do not really fit under Momma Great Horned Owl anymore, but that Lake Superior wind was cold!
Fuzz Ball the 2nd! (and sibling)(both trying to stay warm)
Fuzz Ball the 1st Expressing an Opinion of The Photographer!
Meanwhile the other birding has been fantastic. Migration is finally in full force. At the Pioneer Road / Rice Lake Wetlands I found this rare bird (as noted by eBird)
Short-Billed Dowitcher (and a Dowitcher in non breeding plumage)
And of course my own Evening Grosbeaks when the sun finally arrived yesterday afternoon.
When I was a young boy in the 1960’s it was my job to fill the bird feeders at our Duluth home. Our feathered friends loved the feeders, particularly their locations 1+ story up from the ground and within a few feet of a big Blue Spruce. I quickly named our feeders “The Chalet and Greasy Spoon”. One feeder was shaped like a ski chalet (at least in the mind of an eight year old), and the other feeder quickly was named “The Greasy Spoon”. Birds who used the Greasy Spoon wanted food quickly, and lots of it! This feeders was a large, open platform feeder which attracted all kinds of birds, including tons of Evening Grosbeaks (even Red Crossbills used the Greasy Spoon). You had to be a “high class” bird to visit The Chalet!
As most of you know the population of Evening Grosbeaks has crashed since the 1960’s. According to All About Birding: “populations dropped by an estimated 74% between 1966 and 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight”. For over ten years I have filled my own home’s “Greasy Spoon” in the hopes of attracting the golden birds, but although I could attract Pine and Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, the yellow guys stayed away. Finally, yesterday it happened! My yard was alive with birdsong, including Evening Grosbeaks. The flock stayed all day, and some are still around this morning. If I get really lucky, a few will stay and nest in our pine forests on Amity Creek.
I don’t normally do feeder photographs, but … !
In this sequence you will see a White-Throated Sparrow been informed it must wait in line before using the Greasy Spoon! Lots of American Goldfinches were also told yesterday they had to wait for a table! And yes … The Greasy Spoon is at an angle due to not one, but two bear visits already this spring. The bear bends the metal pole, and I attempt to straighten same the next morning.
The Greasy Spoon Serving its Customers! (video link for email subscribers)
