Category Archives: Year 8

Snowstorm?!

The number of Snowy Owls that have appeared in the past nine days is amazing. I am hesitant yet to call this an irruption year, but for the moment I am very much enjoying this “snowstorm”!
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This morning … the owl was hiding from the wind in Northeastern Minnesota (not the Bog). I watched this owl for two hours, and very briefly it stood up … looked around, and went back to sleep.

Birds on Ice

Contrary to popular belief I very much enjoy watching birds other than owls! Yesterday was just such a morning as I captured “Birds on Ice!”. This new ice performance drama is brought to you every winter wherever food may be found. Unlike summer when birds disperse for nesting purposes, in the winter birds flock together and rarely fly far from a good food source. Todays food sources are:

  • Common Redpolls (visiting a thicket of loaded berry trees in the Canosia Wildlife Area): These little guys are all across the Northland, and as natural foods are consumed everyone should start to see them visiting feeders later this winter.
  • Mallards (all quacked up over a great joke): These wild ducks know that the domestic geese at the Forest Hill Cemetery get served corn. What’s good for the goose, is good for the ducks.
  • Mourning Doves (near my own bird feeders): I never used to think of these doves as a winter bird, but each year I have 10+ that winter in my own yard. They eat a Hoeg’s Cafe every morning, and hide from the bitter winds in the thicks pines and cedar trees.


Finally, while driving home from my late afternoon / early evening Snowy Owl experience, I realize the same calm winds and mild temperatures would make for a great night on the Duluth waterfront! The Federal Clyde, sailing under the colors of the Marshall Islands, loads its latest cargo about 9 pm last night.

 

A Tale of Two Snowy Owls!

I had another “point and pray” photo taking experience yesterday a bit before sunset. I did not realize it when I took this photograph due to my own tunnel vision that the Snowy Owl was flying over to inspect another owl which was only 75 yards behind me. Snowy #1 cleared my head by four feet and landed 20 yards behind me. It then proceeded to stare at Snowy #2, which I then discovered. An amazing experience. Uff dah!
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This is the image I took as the owl flew right at my head … I pointed the camera in front of me … pressed the shutter release down hard and prayed I would get the shot.

And now in sequence as I experienced the two owls … which were never more than 75 yards away from me, and often much closer. Notice that Snowy #2 is “whiter in color”. I am pretty certain that the first owl is an immature female, whereas I think the second Snowy is an immature male. By the time male Snowy Owls are four years old they become almost pure white with no banding. The female’s banding helps with camouflage as it incubates eggs in the nest on the ground up on the Arctic tundra.


Snowy #1: Resting in the late afternoon

Snowy #1: Wakes up and sees Snowy #2 (I did not know at what it was looking)


Snowy #2: Discovered right behind me!