Category Archives: Year 2

Day 357: Attack of the Killer Redpolls!

Year 2

Attack of the Killer Redpolls!

My Northern Hawk Owl at Kelly J’s is back! During our severe cold snap, but bright blue skies, I had swung by a couple of times …. no dice. Today I saw our friend hunting both early this morning, and at dusk. I think my owl likes the warmer weather. Unfortunately the Common Redpolls did not like having the owl around, and eventually a flock of 25 redpolls forced my owl to seek some solitude deeper in some pine trees!

Dawn Attack!
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Evening Hunt!
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Day 356: Share a Snowy with a Friend!

Year 2

Today dawned -18F in Duluth, Minnesota (about -23C) not including windchill. When things warmed up a touch, I took three friends over to my Snowy Owl stomping grounds in Superior, Wisconsin. Although it was way past sunrise, which often means the snowies are hard to find as they are resting after a hard night’s hunting, we were pleased to find one beautiful male owl perched in full display. Two of my friends had not seen a snowy owl this year, and one never. Thus, it was fun to “share a snowy with a friend”!

On the way over to Superior, we also walked out to the end of the old 1890 Interstate Bridge and watched an Algoma Central freighter breaking through the ice. In short, we “older” boys had fun watching huge chunks of ice being broken! Smash / Crunch / Boom! (see the photo)

Snowy Owl on display for my friends!
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Breaking ice in the Duluth / Superior Harbor
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Day 355: A Bird of Many Names!

Year 2

Anyone who has canoed in the BWCA (Boundary Waters Canoe Area) may know this bird as the “campground thief”. This delightful visitor to the Duluth area in the winter has many other names: Whiskey Jack, Canada Jay, and the more common … Grey Jay. This morning I had the pleasure of watching two jays flit from tree top to tree top about one mile in on Old Vermilion Trail (see directions / map to my public feeders on the trail).

Canada Jay / Grey Jay / Whiskey Jack / Campground Thief!
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