Black-Backed Woodpecker!

Year 8,

There are certain Boreal birds one will never attract to a feeder, and the Black-Backed Woodpecker is one of those species. Winter is the best time of year to find a Black-Backed because it is easier to hike through the frozen forest, and there are no mosquitoes. I had been skunked in all my prior attempts to see this kind of woodpecker this year, but today I was successful. Hiking through the forest with frequent stops to listed pointed me in the proper direction. Black-Backed Woodpeckers tend to have a syncopated sound. These birds flake bark off old and diseased Tamarack Pines … with frequent stops to investigate and eat.

Upon arriving home, I found two birds which insisted on getting their picture taken. The Pileated Woodpecker was drilling on one of my yards hollow limbs. As I have already seen the happy couple together, at this point he is warning off other Pileateds and defining his territory. The female Cardinal seemed to be upset with having her photograph taken!

Great Gray Owl Hunting Before Winter Storm

Year 8

We are forecast to be hit by a winter storm in a few hours here in the Northland. This morning I decided to head out and see if any owls might be hunting before the storm arrived. It is amazing how at times birds seem to understand impending bad weather, and make ready. This morning was one of the those occasions. I watched a Great Gray Owl hunt for over 60 minutes. It gave up the effort when the wind blew so strongly that hearing voles running beneath the snow became impossible. I drove away from the owls hunting grounds after it flew to a wind protected perch and obviously decided rest was now in order.

Normally Great Gray Owls are hard to find, but this bird was sitting on the edge of a remote road … right out in the only patch of melted snow. It actually waited for me to drive 80 yards past the bird, park and walk back for a photograph. Cooperative bird!

The owl then flew up into a nearby tree where it posed nicely for me!

For a while we both watched something flying overhead. I looked up but never saw what the owl was tracking. I suspect a high soaring eagle.

The owl then decided it was time for a new hunting perch. It flew within five feet of my head. I did not exist in the Great Gray’s world!

The Hunt! The owl launched and landed less than ten yards from where I was standing!

Unfortunately it missed … no vole this time. Time to take-off.

Time for some more hunting …

Way to windy … hunt over. It flew to a protected perch right after I took this windblown photograph.

Great Gray Owl Hunt … The Movie! (45 seconds long)(video link for email subscribers)

Snowy Owl Sayonara

Year 8

As I noted in yesterday’s post, the south wind was bringing Bald Eagles north, and had the prospects of encouraging Snowy Owls to head back up to the Arctic. It is a time of changeovers. I was able to find one Snowy Owl yesterday afternoon … I had been watching four. Enjoy these final (?) images of this winter’s Snowy Owls. (see Snowy Owl flight maps from Project Snowstorm)