Meet Fuzz Ball the 1st! (Great Horned Owlet)

Year 10

Yesterday afternoon the stars aligned, or should I say the owls, sun and open eyes!

I found the nest on March 12th, which may have been the day of the first egg was laid. At this point, I don’t know how many owlets are in the nest. It is obvious at least one youngster is still under Mom, and GHO owlets are born up to 7 days apart (the eggs are laid that far apart in terms of time), In past years the owlets had actually fledged by this date (i.e. were able to fly). (See the nesting timeline from Cornell) Normally owlets open their eyes upon reaching about nine days old.

Anyhow, meet “fuzz ball”. The image was taken yesterday afternoon around 4:30 a bit north of Duluth. If you would like to watch these owlets grow up, I will likely be able to track them through about Labor Day. Don’t forget I give away a free full version PDF copies of Do You Hoot? which tells the story of the owlets from two years ago.

Anyhow … Fuzz Ball the First!
(email subscribers … see the Fuzz Ball Movies! One | Two)

Let’s compare the apparent age and size to the Amity triplets. Photograph taken three years ago on the same day in May.

Colder by the Lake Birding (and foxes!)

Year 10, , , ,

Colder by the Lake! As we drove home two days ago, the temperature was 65F across Minnesota … until Molly and I approached Duluth. Any weather forecast for the State of Minnesota at this time of year will always end, but “colder near Lake Superior”. The water temperature in the big lake is in the high 30’s F, which makes it hard to warm up the air if you live near Gitchi Gummi. Thus, 45F is a pretty common temperature at my house 800 yards above the shore if the wind is off the lake (or colder).

One practical effect of “colder by the lake” is spring food production starts later than spots inland. The Black Bear which raided my bird feeders last night understands this issue very well. Find a food source and stick with it! For birding, find the local micro-climate with food and migrating birds will be easily be found. Here are a few images I took over the past few days.

Amity Creek (my home area)
Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Canosia Wildlife Preserve (Pioneer and Rice Lake Road Wetlands)
Greater Yellowlegs

Forest Hill Cemetery
Hooded Merganser

St. Louis River at Chambers Grover
White Pelican

Duluth Area
Fox Kits

Stoney River Forest Road (Greenwood Forest Fire Region)
Ruffed Grouse

Note: Stoney River Forest Road is clear of snow, but as you can see, not Whyte Road. The snow in the Boreal Pine Forest is still about one foot deep.

Fuzz Ball Birding!

Year 10

I was amazed yesterday afternoon when I discovered that my owlets had not been welcomed into the Northland while I was down in Costa Rica. I thought I had seen some fluff just before heading south, but I was obviously mistaken. When the sun finally warmed the Boreal Forest around 3 pm yesterday, I saw my first fluff ball! The owlet did not stay out long (only a few minutes) before heading back under Mom. I could tell the chhick’s eyes were not yet open which happens about 9 days after hatching. (See Cornell GHO Nesting Timeline). The photos of the parents were taken about 30 minutes before sunset when the yellow orb made an appearance. Sadly, the owlets decided the cold wind off Lake Superior meant they stayed under Mom.

Momma Owl

Poppa Owl

Junior! (I have no clue yet as to the number of owlets)