Category Archives: Year 7

Hunting with Hoot!

Year 7

Due to a minor medical procedure which involved getting some stitches, and not wanting to have the sutures pull out I skipped yesterday’s bicycle ride. The net effect was I had an extra few hours in the day … the joys of being retired! I decided I should spend quality time with Hoot, and thankfully she agreed.

Throughout the day I hiked over to my owling grounds, where two of the juvenile Great Horned Owls had been hanging out. Extensive off trail hiking and research a few days earlier had discovered lots of whitewash under certain trees (no owls on those hikes). When I checked those same trees yesterday morning and afternoon, jackpot!

Hoot on the Hunt at Sunrise (I dare you to walk under her tree)

Sleepy Time for Tired Owls

Hoot’s Brother Deep in a Pine Grove in the Late Afternoon

Crows! (The Great Horned Owl never got discovered! I think the crows were attacking one of the other siblings. You will also hear a lot of nuthatches in the videos. They knew where Hoot was perched! (email subscribers: video link 1 | video link 2).

Bird Your Local Cemetery

Year 7

During migration, in the Duluth area one of my favorite spots is Forest Hill Cemetery. If one of your local cemetery has a pond, during migration always make a quick check. Our pond has some domestic ducks and geese which attract their wild cousins to the two ponds.

Yesterday morning I found the leading edge of the shorebird invasion from Hudson’s Bay and the Arctic. This Yellowlegs was all by itself, and I took full advantage of a low angle early morning sun to have some fun. Yes, I was close but the sun blinded the bird … albeit shorebirds normally let you get somewhat close (sit down on a beach and let them walk to you)

Greater Yellowlegs (yes … they eat minnows, not just bugs)

Question: If your reflection also catches a minnow, do you get credit for two fish?!

Reflections (dark green from pine trees … blue from the sky)

Poppa Pileated Teaches Junior About Suet!

Year 7
Now open for business in the Duluth area … Rich’s Bar and Grill serving fantastic suet … a Covid-19 plan and protections are in place!
 
Yup … Poppa Pileated (bird on the left) was teaching junior (bird on the right) about suet this morning. The youngster is a female. Thus, this image shows you how to tell the sexes apart for Pileated Woodpeckers. The male’s crest comes all the way to the upper beak, and it also has a scarlet mustache.
 
Dad … do I really have to eat my suet?! Woody at my woodpecker school says it’s just lard!