I spent a delightful hour with this Great Gray Owl this afternoon north of Duluth (not Sax-Zim Bog). I was very surprised to find it out hunting at 2 pm in the afternoon on a bright sunny day. Ultimately it paid the price for being out this early and was repeatedly attacked by crows. However, I will admit the owl seemed to be nonplussed with the crows.
A bad hair day (or feathers!)
Yesterday was a sunset I will never forget! I had heard there was a male Snowy Owl hanging out just south of Sax-Zim Bog. As much as Great Gray Owls are cool, I personally LOVE Snowies, and male Snowy Owls are particularly rare. Thus, be forewarned this this blog post has lots of photographs. There was a -15F chill factor (4F actual) out in the open, and boy was I exposed to the wind yesterday afternoon, but it was worth every moment!
When I first found this Snowy Owl it was on top of a tall power pole and then 400 yards away … very distant in a field
I waited in my car for 30 minutes, and then, thankfully, the Snowy then moved a whole lot closer!
At one point, it landed in a dirt road. Apparently this is “the look” you give a Bald Eagle as it slowly glides within 50 feet of you which says … Don’t even think about attacking me!
For all the times I have watched Snowy Owls in industrial locations. It was so nice to spend time with this owl out in the countryside … it’s favorite perch was this pine tree.
When I left for home at sunset, I was so cold from standing outside in the cold wind that I had the car’s heater on full blast with my heated seats also warming me (I almost never use the heated seats). When I got home after my hour drive, I even took a hot bath! Life is good.
