Northern Hawk Owl on the Hunt!

Year 4

Sax-Zim Bog has turned on!

I was scheduled for volunteer training at the Welcome Center this morning to get ready for our winter season. Given our training did not start till 10:00 am, I drove the 50 miles over from Duluth early enough to arrive slightly before sunrise at 7:30 am.

Wow, and I repeat wow! How else can one describe a crystal clear morning when one finds both a Northern Hawk Owl and a Great Gray Owl within 300 yards of each other before sunrise. Given I knew the northern hawk owl would hunt well into the day, but the Great Gray Owl would retreat deep into the Bog once it started to get light, I ignored the hawk owl at first. Given the NHO is my favorite bird this decision was difficult. However, it was the correct move as the Great Gray did disappear into the deep Bog about 20 minutes after sunup while the Northern Hawk Owl was still hunting when I left for my training at 9:45 am

McDavitt Road is the location of all my fun … near the small parking area on the west side of the road. Both late yesterday and this morning I saw both owls plus or minus 500 yards from this pull out. Here are some pics … yesterday evening was cloudy and gloomy … this morning was bright and sunny.

Northern Hawk Owl Hunting Sequence (total time duration … about 30 seconds … I was not able to record the actual kill as the NHO captured the vole behind some tall trail grass)

Great Gray Owl Before Sunrise this Morning

Northern Hawk Owl After the Hunt

A few pics from late yesterday afternoon …

The Raptors of Sax-Zim Bog!

Year 4

It was a great late afternoon at Sax-Zim Bog. I scored this trifecta! In addition there are a number of Northern Hawk Owls in the Bog this winter. The action is on Admiral and McDavitt Roads. My encounter with the Great Gray Owl was at sunset in the shade, while the other birds (Immature Bald Eagle and Rough Legged Hawk) were hunting working at obtaining their evening meal about 30 minutes before sunset.

Thanksgiving afternoon I went hiking with some friends at a classic Minnesota location on Lake Superior, Split Rock Lighthouse. It was a beautiful day.

Updated Bird Index / Videos

Year 4

We are in the doldrums in terms of birding in northern Minnesota. The Fall migration is now done, and we are still in need of a heavy deep snow cover to push more winter birds out of the deep forest to more viewable locations. These facts don’t mean I stop hiking the forests, but every day is very challenging.

On the home front given I have not had any new bloggable content, I have worked upon updating my index. While in my travels I often avoid chasing certain kinds of birds in which I have little interest (bird snob??), I still have amassed a decent number. You will now find 265 species photographed / indexed. In addition, my video and mammal indices are now getting rather large. Although this blog focuses upon still images of birds, you may enjoy these other two resources: