Tag Archives: WI North: Richard Bong Airport

For the Love of Owls!

Year 13

It is owl prime time courting here in the Northland, and the hoots and toots will only increase as we head through March into early April. In the past week the leading edge of the Northern Saw-whet owl spring migration has reached NE Minnesota. While some saw-whets remain north all winter, most migrate to areas with a milder climates and less snow. As early returnees get the prime habitat, most evenings after sundown have a toot fest. Add the Saw-whet chorus to the Great Horned Owls love hoots, and it is positively loud at night out in the woods!

Over in Superior, the Snowy Owls will soon depart for the Arctic tundra and their own “love fields”. I took time yesterday to visit with “war bird Snowy” at the Richard Bong Airport. The mild temperatures and winds meant the owl was willing to appear and hunt long before sundown. Here are a few photos I took of this Snowy Owl. The bird has a tendency to fly back and forth between its two favorite hunting perches … the left wing of the PBY Catalina Flying Boat, and the nearby fence. It was fun hearing the owl scream in defiance when two crows had the nerve to express their displeasure over the owl’s presence.

War Bird Snowy!

Taking Off from the PBY Catalina

Birding the Vole Snatchers

Year 13

Two days ago I made my trek over to Superior, and saw not one, or two but three Snowy Owls. However, although the Snowys are definitely “vole snatchers”, the real fun was watching this Red Fox hunt the airport grounds. I think the fox understood how fences work. Red understood it was on one side of the fence, and I was on the other side. It walked to within 25 yards of me which was totally unexpected and amazing. The sun came out briefly for the fox, and then the clouds rolled back in.

Red Fox Vole Snatcher

Snowy Owl Vole Snatcher

Northland News Flash: Moose Love Birdfeeders!

Year 13,

Answering the immortal question, do Moose eat sunflower seeds? Apparently the answer is “yes”, as a couple of Moose are raiding my Greenwood Birdfeeders in the middle of the night. Actually, give how Deer love birdseed this answer should not have surprised me. I googled my question to make certain, and Outdoor Life provided me a definitive yes in one of their articles. Anyhow … a trailcam pic from my now renamed … Moose Feeders.

Other mammals visiting my birdfeeders over the past two weeks include timber wolves, red fox, and a Canada Lynx. However, I think their visits are oriented towards preying upon the mice and voles that eat the seed spillage.

Birdfeeder Theft by Moose … the Movie! (video link for blog email subscribers)

Here is a trailcam pic of the lynx. As a fyi, most the mammals tend to visit either at night of during the last hour of daylight or within the first hour of sunrise.

And on the birding front … there are lots of Snowy Owls at the Superior Airport allowing close views (50 yards or less). Arrive about one hour before sunset on a non windy day and check out both the airport, the fairgrounds and Tower Avenue which borders a runway. There are at least three white owls! From Monday afternoon. This photo was taken from the Aldi Supermarket Parking Lot.