Golf Course Birding (plus owl of the day pic)

Year 9,

Golf Course ponds are great places to bird … assuming the courses are not yet open. In my case, Lester Park Golf Course located in the northeast edge of Duluth is permanently closed. Given not a single area lake has yet experienced ice out, and this course has one of the few ponds that has lost its ice, that small body of water is a bird magnate for migrating ducks.

By approaching the birds obliquely and thus taking a zig zag route to get close (not directly), I was able to get amazingly close to the waterfowl. I think the ducks knew there were very few other landing spots, and the 40 mph winds coming in off Lake Superior made them willing to put up with my presence. In fact, a friend in church on Sunday told me Saganaga Lake up at the end of the Gunflint Trail still has 40 inch thick ice!

Hooded Merganser

Buffleheads and Ring-Necked Ducks

Ring-Necked Ducks

Of course, I spend time every day watching Les, Amy and their Great Horned Owlets.

Meet Les and Amy’s Owlets

Year 9

For the fourth year in a row, Les and Amy, have blessed the forest near my home with new hoots! This morning I met their owlet twins. There could still be a third youngster underneath Mom but I am betting the cold spring we are having this year may limit the family size by one. (As a reminder, Les or Poppa Owl is named after the Lester River … and Amy or Momma Owl is named after Amity Creek … no names for the owlets yet!).

Nest found on March 11th. Owlets first appeared on April 26th; however their presence has been obvious for some time under Mom.

Mom GHO and Owlets

Kids being Rambunctious! (video link for email subscribers)

Dangerous Fog

Year 9

The sun made a brief appearance a bit after sunrise yesterday morning. The brightening day revealed that danger had stalked the forest fog, and my local crow population was not pleased. During the damp semi darkness the male Great Horned Owl had obviously made a kill and delivered it to its mate on the nest. I heard the crow’s racket from my house even over the sound of the waterfall. I hiked over to the nest and I found Poppa Owl guarding the nest while Mom ate. In addition Mom GHO is obviously being bumped around by hungry owlets underneath her.

Poppa Great Horned Owl on Guard

Mom having Breakfast (video link for email subscribers)