Strange title? Yes, but very appropriate. The last 48 hours have seen …
- 5 Hoot Hikes in the Dark of Night
- Birding with the Iowa Guys (loved finally meeting Don & Stan)
- Unsuccessful attempts to find the Bohemians
- Watching the Northern Hawk Owl (44F and sunny in early February???)
- Checking out new habitat in northern Minnesota (fantastic!)
- Return to watch the Hawk Owl no more than 4 minutes before sundown
My most reliable “hoot” seems to start at 6:10 am and lasts for 30 minutes. Sunrise is at 7:20 am. My morning routine has been to get up around 5:15 am, have a bowl of cereal in front on the fireplace, pull on my thermal layers of clothes and then head out into the darkness. We have had record snow already this winter and I live on the edge of the forest next to a stream / ravine / hill. The combination with the cold does not make for easy hiking.
The end result is I am dead tired, but I have learned where all the packed down deer paths in the deep snow. These paths have helped me stumble around less in the woods while “homing in” / triangulating the hoot of my local Great Horned Owls. My neighborhood owls will nest soon, and I think I have narrowed down my nest search area enough that it’s time to look during the daytime.
Okay … flashing back to yesterday … it was fun to spend time with the Northern Hawk Owl during the early afternoon, and then once more right at sunset. Man alive are Northern Hawk Owls EXTREMELY difficult to photograph in flight. Unlike almost every other raptor which telegraphs that the bird is about to take off, Northern Hawk Owls tell you nothing … and they are very, very fast. . I should say I am really happy with the blurry wings as it demonstrates motion and speed, but I would be telling a BIG fib. I was just happy to capture the owl in the frame (near Sax Road and Hwy 7 yesterday afternoon, but do NOT try and cross the small DEEP stream next to the road to get closer to the owl … there is open water in many places and thin ice everywhere else).
Northern Hawk Owl
And a moment or two before sunset
This Bald Eagle was hanging out near some roadkill
My blessing to one find young man, that I got to meet this Wednesday Mr. Richard.
Don
It is always “a hoot” when someone calls me “young”. Fantastic finally getting to meet the famous Mr. Don!
Nice photo of Northern Hawk Owl moments before sunset!
Did you catch a glimpse of the Shrike that seemed to upset the Hawk Owl? Incredible day — no hats, gloves and only intermittent light jackets.
Yes! That is what made me suddenly walk away from talking with you. Sorry, not too polite but birds rule my brain when outside!