This Great Gray Owl would not come out and play yesterday evening. It was waiting till dark to hunt. All the same … it was a great way to celebrate my “return to the Bog”. Winter birding starts now! While our Great Grays are year round residents of the Northland, I have been getting reports of other owls starting to show up in our region (specific reports of Northern Hawk and Snowy Owls). Hopefully this bodes will for a nice movement down from Canada this year (they are allowed across the border!). I hope to also see some non local Great Grays along the North Shore.

My goals for the Pandemic Winter are to receive medical clearance to get back on cross-country skis (no races this winter), and find the hunting spots of various species of owls. Given our new lockdown here in Minnesota, outdoor activities will keep us all sane.