Courting the Female! (Ring-Necked Pheasant)

Year 10

Yesterday’s post was about Broad-Winged Hawk Love. Today we move on the Ring-Necked Pheasants. While the hawks were showing their love actually within Sax-Zim Bog, this pair was just south of Meadowlands. Birding the Bog is fun because it offers the ability to easily bird two unique habitats … the Boreal Forest and Meadows / Pastures.

I first spotted the male Ring-Necked Pheasant standing in the middle of a dirt road. I suspected if I was very careful the bird would not fly away. The pheasant was laser focused on the hen. Isn’t love grand?!

All the images are in sequence. By waiting the male pheasant eventually ignored me and displayed and crowed for his lady friend. (video link for email subscribers)

Broad-Winged Hawks Mating

Year 10,

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

Momma and Owlet #2

Owlet #1

Meet Fuzz Ball the 2nd! (Great Horned Owlet #2)

Year 10,

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.