Tag Archives: MN North: Sax-Zim Bog

Red-Winged Blackbird Attacks Bald Eagle

Year 12,

Momma warned me there would be days like this!!!

An immature bald eagle was repeatedly dive-bombed by a red-winged blackbird at the Park Point Recreation Area a few days ago. The blackbird had to have a nest near by with recently fledged young. I personally have been on the receiving end of blackbird attacks many times in my life.

As a fyi, Bald Eagles do not get their white heads and tails till almost 4 years old. This is not a Golden Eagle. However, we do get some migrating Golden Eagles coming south from their breeding grounds neat Hudson Bay in late October to early November.

Press or click upon any image to view at full size. It’s fun to see the eagle’s eye expressions.

Incoming

Close Encounters of the Blackbird Kind

And from a very wet early morning up in Sax-Zim Bog this past week … a drenched Broad-Winged Hawk.

Broad-Winged Hawk Research Project

Year 12, , ,

I am helping out with a Broad-Winged Research Project this summer, and you may help me help both northern Minnesota’s Hawk Ridge and Pennsylvania’s Hawk Mountain‘s research efforts (Learn more about Broad-Winged Hawks via the Cornell School of Ornithology). This beautiful raptor’s population population has fallen 16% out in its eastern range since 1980’s. Thankfully here in the Central Flyway populations appear to be stable, and perhaps even rising. This Broad-Winged Hawk Research Project will be one of the first extensive studies of this bird specie. It is hoped to band many of these hawks with transmitters that will let us follow their migrations and learn more about where they truly winter in Central and South America … perhaps leading to habitat preservation along their migration paths and wintering habitats.

In the past week I have personally identified eleven Broad-Wing breeding territories with GPS coordinates … including one actual nest! How can you help? If you discover Broad-Winged Hawk Nests this summer in the Northland please contact me (Richard.Hoeg@GMail.Com). I will need both the GPS coordinates and a description of the nest site. I promise NOT to share the nest location to eBird or any other individuals OTHER than the research staff from Hawk’s Ridge. If the nest is on private property we will need permission to access the given location.

Here is the Broad-Winged Hawk I have seen twice within the past few days near Sax-Zim Bog’s Welcome Center and Overton Road.

The Return of the Great Grays (owls!)

Year 12

Normally every spring I can count upon Great Gray Owls becoming somewhat easier to find for about 10 days towards the end of May. Such is the case this year. Both Friday and yesterday I found owls at dramatically different locations. I am pretty certain both birds were females which have now come off their nests … the owlets have been born and are getting bigger which means the parent Great Grays need to hunt a lot … including after sunrise. In both instances I found the owls around 7:00 am. (almost two hours after sunrise this time of year).

Yes … I am extremely close to this owl, but when the bird flies over and lands within 15 yards of your location … what are you supposed to do?!