The owlets were hanging out together this morning in the Thimbleberry Patch! I suspect this is a day long perch they are using. With the heavy fog I had thought they might be hunting later into the morning, but nope! (video link for email subscribers)
Tag Archives: MN North: Amity
Attack Jays on a Summer Afternoon
What? Me Worry? (famous words of Alfred E. Newman … Mad Magazine). Yesterday afternoon with thanks to my local Blue Jays, I easily found one of the two Great Horned Owlets, but although being harrassed, the owl did not seem overly concerned. In fact, after a crow attack dies down an owl almost always seems to move to a new hiding spot (my experience), with Blue Jays the owl could not care less! It slept!
Sleeping Great Horned Owlet!
Blue Jays helping me find the Owl (video link for email subscribers)
A few more images from yesterday afternoon. I very much enjoyed seeing an owl during the main part of the day!
Once evening rolled around I spent time scoping out some new bog habitat near Duluth (not Sax-Zim Bog). Judging by the number of birds I saw, the area looks very promising! During the Summer months I like to explore new areas for repeat visits during the prime raptor viewing season each Fall.
Red-Tailed Hawk in the Wawina Bog
Great Horned Owl Eats Opossum (videos)
I almost did not hike over to the Pine Grove with all the thimbleberries this morning. There were intermittent showers, and after spending so much time with my owl family yesterday, I did not “feel the need”! I’m glad I changed my mind and decided to take a hike. One Great Horned Owl has centered its hunting within a 300 yard area. The combination of good hunting perches and plentiful thimbleberries is fantastic. Shortly after I arrived this morning, the owl caught an opossum. I hope you enjoy all the images including the half speed video.
Checking out a Pesky Squirrel
Down the Hatch
Opossum, Tastes Like Chicken!
Within Seconds of Finishing its Meal, the Owl Resumed Hunting
Videos of The Great Horned Owl Eating its Breakfast, an Opossum. The first video is at full speed, while the second is at half speed. (video links for email subscribers: full speed | half speed).
I suspect many of you do not know what a thimbleberry looks and tastes like. While the owl was eating Opossum, I was gorging myself on thimbleberries this morning.
These thigh to waist high plants grow in northern, shady forests where a reasonable amount of light ultimately reaches the forest floor during the day. The leaves look like large maple leaves, and the fruit has the appearance of a big raspberry … and is quite tasty. I ate over 25 berries while owling yesterday afternoon! My owls have hunted this particular pine grove for at least four years. Once the fruit ripens I know they will return to the area. There is a wealth of small mammals and birds eating the berries, which in turn gets hunted by the owls. (cell phone pics taken yesterday afternoon in the sun)
