Spending time in the woods alone without another human for miles with hunting Great Gray Owls is magical. However with our horrible cold snap, thankfully now ended, I had not been out looking for the gray ghosts of the forest in over two weeks. Spending time standing motionless in the forest experiencing temperatures of -10F to -20F is NOT fun.

Friday evening I headed north of Two Harbors to my personal favorite owling grounds. I had expected bright clear blue skies, but God had other ideas. The heavens clouded up which although better for finding owls (they tend to hate bright light), makes photography more of a challenge. In addition, a blue sky is prettier than white.

Great Gray Owl #1

I was wrong. The owl eventually flew 200 yards distant and posed with an opening in the clouds right behind it. The artist in me loved the photo.

Yesterday morning I continued my owling. Although the mercury had dipped to -16F (-27C), there was no wind. As the sun rose everyone … owl and human alike could feel the warming rays of sunshine. Although Great Gray Owls normally don’t hunt in the bright sun, I found two out long past sunrise enjoying the weather.

Great Gray Owl #2

Great Gray Owl #3

This morning when I headed out birding I never expected such success. I was just happy the temperature was above zero … not by much (1F or -17C). Major heat wave! For the past two weeks every morning has -20F or worse. Thus, you should understand why I was so happy to be out birding in warm weather!

Given the bright sun and reflections off the snow, I felt it was foolish to look for Great Gray Owls. Instead I visited the crabapple farm. This old farm with all its fruit is a bird magnet in the winter. I did not understand how true this statement would prove to be, just not as expected. I also saw Bohemian Waxwings and Pine Grosbeaks at the farm.

I found four Black-Billed Magpies! If you examine the range map from the Cornell School of Ornithology, you will noted northeastern Minnesota is well out of the expected range. However, these birds have been extending their range east, and I occasionally see them a bit west of my home area in Sax-Zim Bog, but near Lake Superior???

The magpies were feeding on some kind of carcass. I will need to return when light is more favorable for photos (it was somewhat in front of me).

This morning the snow was coming down hard, with an increasing wind (20 mph on its way up to 35 mph). In short, it was an excellent time to go birding. Success in these conditions requires previous research and knowing how to think like a bird (makes me a bird brain?!).

The wind meant trying to find raptors (owls or hawks) would be a foolish activity. Birds that require either perfect sight lines or hearing to hunt, sit out storms. In the winter raptors conserve energy and hunker down out of the elements when adverse weather would make hunting fruitless. However, songbirds like Bohemian Waxwings will continue to eat through a storm. The will prefer protected locations.

Thus I drove back roads to a old crabapple farm. I hit the jackpot and found over 250 Bohemians. The wind and snow meant they chose crabapples trees which provided some protection from the elements. This winter the size of the waxwing flocks has amazed me. In some recent years almost nary of Bohemian flew south from Canada.

Take notice of fruit trees whenever you are out and about. Return when you have time to bird; the food will eventually attract our feathered friends.

Crabapple Eating Time

Braving the Elements (snowflake bursts against a Waxwing, and another battles the wind)

Great Gray Owl Hunting Yesterday Morning just after Sunrise

Snowy Owl Hunting Yesterday Afternoon just before Sunset