I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend. Our family … all three kids, their spouses, and seven grandchildren got together, and a grand time was had by all. Between the thunder storms which worked their way through the state, and lots of great family time, I did get a few minutes hiking outdoors … normally around 6 am before the rest of the crew greeted the new day. Here are a few pics …
First I found my owls upon returning home, or should I say they found me.
Wild Turkeys were trying to impress their lady loves
Well … yesterday it rained … and by nightfall the winds were blowing in off Lake Superior at 30 mph. Through the night I could hear the rain through the open window, and when I was semi-conscious this morning I could hear the fog horns of multiple lakers (looks a bit like and oil tanker ship, except it carries iron ore … we call them ore boats.) All the ships were steaming past the mouth of the Lester River near my home, and given the heavy fog … they had their fog horns blaring.
Thus, I know the owls would not be happy with the weather, and when the fog lifted a bit around 9 am I suspected I might find the owlets and Mom at the top of a tall white pine trying to dry off a bit. I was correct!
The wind is blowing in off Lake Superior this morning, and the ever present drizzle is back. However for a few days the wind blew lightly out of the south and the migrating bug eaters returned to the Northland. This is one of the latest northern migrations in my recent memory. For the past two days walking the ponds at the Lester Park Golf Course (closed at present) has yielded bluebirds!!! I am enjoying their song even more this Spring. Last year the number of bluebirds up north was down dramatically after a severe freeze in the south where the birds winter killed significant numbers of these songbirds. If you decide to walk the ponds, listen first to a recording a bluebird’s song. While walking follow your ear!
Eastern Bluebird (video link for a bluebird singing for email subscribers)
What with a post be without an owl update. Yesterday afternoon the poor owlets, which are lousy fliers / perches (i.e. they do not have the ability yet to land and bury themselves within a white pine or cedar tree), found themselves under constant crow attack from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Now that the flow on Amity Creek has calmed down a bit, I can hear the crows from my house. At one point I did hike over to owl land. Mom was not pleased with what was going on, and had this perch in the tallest white pine, but the crows were very careful to avoid her.
