Crooked Crossbills!

Year 7

Two weeks ago I posted about my excursion up to the Superior National Forest where I saw Red Crossbills and Spruce Grouse. Today in Sax-Zim Bog I saw the other Crossbill which visits our region when a bumper pine cone crop exists, the White Winged Crossbill. These birds with the hooked beaks are uniquely adapted to breaking open pine cones. Other birds need not apply! The White-Winged Crossbill is my favorite of the two (Cornell eBird link). Here are a few images I took this morning while this gorgeous male was “gritting up”. Notice how it has to turn its head sideways to pick up grit sand. While its beak works well for pine cones, gritting up is a bit more difficult.

White-Winged Crossbills (I found one lone male and he allowed me to get real close! When you have an opportunity like this, get very low to the ground. First, you are less likely to scare the bird. Second, an image at the same level is better than one looking down from on high)

Canada / Gray Jays are always a favorite when I visit the Bog.

Wisconsin Point Sunrise!

Year 7

Daylight savings time meant it was easier to arrive at my selected locations before sunrise. After two owling stops before sunrise I moved over to Wisconsin Point for sunup. Yesterday’s strong winds from the south had resulted in a major movement of Bald and Golden Eagles through the region. As expected, I found some stragglers this morning. The combination of the early morning light on this immature Bald Eagle was gorgeous.

A few minutes later I drove down to the actual harbor entry and caught this one one fisherman out on the breakwater next to the lighthouse.

Even with the snow and ice, everyone has spring fever! It’s now 49F at 1:40 pm. Time for a bicycle ride up the shore of Lake Superior. However, in during my 800 yard descent to the road along the lake, I know from experience the temperature will drop into the high 30’s!

Good bye, Snow!

Year 7

It was -6F a bit inland from Lake Superior this morning a touch after sunrise. I was birding the Boreal Forest, but did not find much. I didn’t mind as the scenery including this farm was gorgeous. It is now 28F at 2:20 pm, and will perhaps reach 50F tomorrow. Good bye, snow!

The other excitement of the day was being called out to do a “Bald Eagle Rescue”. Apparently our nation’s bird had become entangled in some kind of net. Thankfully, the eagle managed to free itself before I arrived on scene, and thus I was not pressed into service. That is a good ending when the bird frees itself, as although I have hand captured two Snowy Owls in my life, both of those owls were not in the best of shape (i.e. easier to handle). I was a bit worried about trying to free a healthy eagle.

You may ask, what does one bring to an eagle rescue? Here is my answer based upon items in my home and garage:

  1. Raptor gloves (insures the bird can not sink their talons into your hands and arms)
  2. Various wire cutters and pliers to cut the bird free
  3. A large blanket (come up from behind to subdue the bird)
  4. A very large moving blanket (same as above)

One always comes up from behind a raptor as talons can not move backwards. If you would like to read about one of my prior rescue escapades, here is my rescue of Silver. (a Snowy Owl)