Category Archives: Year 9

Last Migration Wave

Year 9

Up on Stony River Forest Road this morning I am now seeing flocks of Snow Buntings. I know from previous years that when I start to see flocks of snow buntings, the Fall songbird migration is over. Snow Buntings will also be the first songbirds I see northbound next season, as early as February. The Arctic Ocean is a long ways away … thus last arriving and first leaving. There will still be raptor migrations stretching into the winter. Here are some of the dates I personally look to see the early owl migrants:

  • Thanksgiving: Northern Hawk Owls
  • December 1st: Snowy Owls
  • January 15th: Boreal Owls

Obviously it is very possible to see any of these owls prior to my dates, but from a practical standpoint this is when these birds appear in northeast Minnesota. On rare occasions, both Boreal and Northern Hawk Owls nest in my area. I actually was privileged to find a Northern Hawk Owl nest and watch it through the Spring into early Summer five years ago. As a fyi, never ask me for an owl’s nesting location (and often even just a hunting location). These birds get loved to death.

From this morning, a nice male Spruce Grouse.

Snow Birds Out, Arctic Birds In!

Year 9

The town of Two Harbors closed their RV Campground for the season two days ago … The Snowbirds moved out (humans heading south) and the Arctic Birds moved in (migrating Snow Geese, Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings). The campground has plenty of food sources, and the birds were just waiting for the pesky humans to leave!

Actually the campground and Two Harbors Information Center have one other benefit for bird watchers … they are right smack dab on a migration barrier. In other words as birds migrate south along the North Shore of Lake Superior, they fly into points which stick out into the lake. Good birding. Take a look at my annotated screenshot.

Here are a few images taken yesterday afternoon. In total I found 10 Snow Geese, which is a HUGE number of these birds to find along Lake Superior. One would see 1,000’s during migration 600 miles to my west.

Snow Goose Altercation / Fight!

More Snow Geese (notice the different morphs / coloration)

Lapland Longspur Watching Out for Merlins

Finding Seeds in a Parking Lot’s Pavement

First Snow Bunting of the Season!