My Great Horned Owls are back and on their nest! Over the past few months I have heard their love songs, but this afternoon I confirmed they are launching a new family. Last Spring I had a fantastic time watching Ma & Pa Great Horned Owls raise their twins. According to the Cornell School of Ornithology the first young should hatch in about one month, or about the 10th of March.
You might ask why any self-respecting owl would nest in the middle of the frigid Minnesota winter? The answer is quite logical … it’s all about prey. As the owlets grow and increase their food demands, other animals will be having their young (squirrels, mice, rabbits, crows, etc). Thus, there will lots of food for the parents available at nature’s supermarket. Finally, once the young are fledged there will be lots of new young prey upon which these young owls may practice their hunting before winter returns to the Northland.
Great Horned Owl on its Nest
Before I visited my own owls, I made a quick trip up to Sax-Zim Bog. The hoar frost was drop dead gorgeous this morning. Unfortunately I could not find a candidate bird to sit at close range for a photoshoot. This image was taken at quite a distance.
Northern Hawk Owl in a Hoar Frost Flocked Tree
Incidentally I was not dedicated to taking a picture of an owl with the hoar frost. I actually took a two mile hike in the woods … not a single Gray Jay, Crossbill or made their presence known. It was amazingly quiet.
Finally, yesterday morning before the sun came out from behind the clouds, I found this Great Gray Owl getting ready for its daily nap.
Yesterday morning I met two birds which are extremely rare for my area … a Northern Hawk Owl and a Black-Billed Magpie. While most people would prefer to see the owl, I was extremely disappointed when the magpie exited quickly. Please understand I have NEVER seen a magpie in the Duluth area (this was not Sax-Zim Bog), whereas each winter I tend to find a few hawk owls. The magpie was giving the owl a piece of its mind. The two birds were in the same tree, about ten feet apart.
Upon getting home I discovered the northern / summer migration had begun. I saw three Bald Eagles hunting Amity Creek across from my house, and a friend who lives a bit further up the shore saw five eagles. While a certain number of Bald Eagles remain in the Northland over the winter, I am positive these birds road yesterday’s 30 mph winds out of the south, and now will follow the North Shore of Lake Superior. It is normal for eagles to return north as soon as open water may be found, and this winter has been extremely mild with only a few days well below zero at night.
Finally, everyone always compliments me on my great photography (thank you). Guess what … I screw up on occasion. Where’s Baldy’s head?!
One man’s continuing fight against the Gray Monsters, the Bandits of the Bird Feeder. Text translated from Old Norse by Herre Hoeg as found upon a Rune Stone in northern Minnesota.
Ya … ve tak the Coca Cola drinkin horns … string dem long da vire … da critter spind und falls. Gut! Yah?
Yup … Facebook reminded me of this battle from a post I had made seven years ago. In my infinite wisdom I thought that Diet Coke bottles strung along a metal wire would prevent squirrels from reaching my feeders. I ultimately had six bottles on either side of each feeder. It didn’t work. Read on below these two images taken by Molly of a “cocky birder” (i.e. me) who learned the battle had only just begun.
For two years after my Diet Coke failure I mistakenly believed a Yankee Flipper Bird Feeder (link includes video of squirrel being flipped!) was the answer to my sunflower seed giveway. Alas, I was wrong once more. The Yankee Flipper has a powered centrifugal perch which upon feeling the weight of said squirrels, spins rapidly and throws the furballs off into the woods. While it lasted, It was fun watching squirrels being launched as if NASA astronauts, but eventually one squirrel learned if you anchored your tail and prevented a spin, the battery would eventually drain on cold Minnesota mornings. The other demons learned the method and the sunflower seeds were once more available!
One day my wife saw a YouTube video that incorporated Slinkies into the process. I did have to add a baffle because my local squirrels learned to climb up inside the Slinky and slither out to pay dirt. This combination works like a charm for my platform feeders that are pole mounted. (YouTube video link)
For my hanging feeders, I have ended purchasing the Squirrel Buster. These work like a charm when strung along my wires (where the Coke bottles failed). The weight of the demons close the feed openings. Birds as large as Cardinals and Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks are able to use my Squirrel Busters w/o a problem (Amazon link). What do other folks utilize? Any other “Slinky users” out there?
A quick update on my vision disorder. The first treatment was early Monday morning. My doctor told me to not expect results for seven days. However, the BOTOX which prevents the bad optic nerve communications seems to be working. For the first time in two months on Monday afternoon I was able to take a long hike late in the forest walking on deer trails and over deadfall without falling. More importantly I was able to see quite clearly. Yesterday a friend took me to look for Snowy Owls, and while we did not see any of the white ghosts, my vision was perfect for the entire 2.5 hour excursion. Read my wife’s perspective on this dive into depression we have suffered. Once again, Molly and I are not ready to declare victory, but there is finally some hope in our lives.
One final photo … surprisingly I have a flock of Mourning Doves which over winters in my pine trees … visiting my feeders multiple times per day. My research on eBird seems to indicate Duluth is about as far north as this species of bird even winters. Pic taken yesterday afternoon.
Mourning Dove
My heartfelt thanks to my buddies … Jim D. who took me to look for Snowy Owls yesterday evening … and Greg G. and Jeff M. who have scheduled birding excursions with me over the next seven days. Your generosity and friendship helps keep me moving forward in this horrible journey of lost vision.
