Category Archives: Year 9

We Interrupt this Winter …

Year 9

The winter that will not end could have been a title for this post. Thankfully Molly and I missed most of the snow melt with our trip to Tucson. When we left and drove south Molly had to listen to my constant complaints that I was going to miss seeing my owls at their youngest age. I even talked about flying back from Tucson for a couple day visit to see the youngsters. Was I ever wrong. This morning during my birding hike, Mom Great Horned Owl was being bumped around, but the owlets were still warmly ensconced underneath her. One year ago exactly from today, last year’s family of owlets were already branching and even beginning to think about flight.

Last year on April 22nd …

 

I had speculated that the extremely cold winter might have slowed down the nesting process for my owls. Last year the owls nested on February 8th; this year I found the nest on March 11th (the owls may have nested earlier). Yesterday evening’s photograph was taken essentially two weeks AFTER the same date that the owlets were branching last year.

This year on April 21st … (white fuzz / fluff viewable just in front of Mom)

Here is the U.S. Weather Service data for this year. Given the cold weather, I suspect Mom owl needed to use much of her energy for just staying warm, and not egg production. In addition to the 20 inches of snow we’ve had in April this year, here is the temperature data for this winter … the delta averages are HUGE! (vs 30 year average)

  • January: 6.5 degrees below normal
  • February: 9.5 degrees below normal
  • March: 2.9 degrees below normal
  • April: 5 degrees below normal through April 20th

Finally, here are two final pics of “southern Mama”. She left her nest in the Tucson area 2.5 weeks ago to help her mate hunt for food to feed hungry owlets. Notice how the southern desert owl is almost gray in color, while northern mom is much more brown. It appears both birds have evolved to better fit in with their habitat (camouflage).

The Desert Drive

Year 9

How many of you take the road less travelled? Molly and I just spent the past 5+ days driving home from Tucson to Duluth. While this drive could have been accomplished in three days via the Interstate Highway System, we chose to use local roads and see America. The first part of our journey was driving north through the desert from Tucson to Moab, Utah. This route also forced us to angle NE across Nebraska. My only comment about the Great Plains of Nebraska … they are not very flat!

For our first night we stopped at Chinle, Arizona on the Navajo Nation. We did not want the HUGE crowds found at the Grand Canyon and thus decided to visit Arizona’s other canyon, Canyon de Chelly National Monument . At sunrise the next morning we had the canyon 100% to ourselves (Easter Weekend of 2022). We visited three overlooks at sunrise and took small hikes. We never saw another person or car! The beauty was breathtaking as it was peaceful.

Canyon de Chelly at Sunrise (video link for email subscribers)

Pueblo Ruins at Canyon de Chelly

Moving on from Chinle we were amazed to find the desert in full bloom. Purple and red flowers were everywhere at higher elevations.

Once we reached the Moab, Utah area we did rediscover people, but the beauty was still breaktaking. The first image is from Arches National Park, and the second photo I took while hiking a few minutes before sunset.

The morning we left Tucson I did photograph a bird … this House Sparrow! Somehow finding a house sparrow nesting in a cactus was different for this northern Minnesota boy.

Owl Be Seeing You!

Year 9

Molly and I start home to Duluth tomorrow, and we hear lots of snow awaits us in northern Minnesota. Therefore the last two mornings I visited my two favorite owl nests for the final times. I am still dumbfounded that the Barn Owl family is nesting only 50 yards from the Great Horned Owl family. While I suspected a Barn Owl nest, finding both Mom and Dad Barn Owl perched together cinched the fact. The kids are getting big … but are still located deep within the recesses of their chosen home.

This Barn Owl and I have an agreement. The owl allows me to take its photograph if I follow these rules:
  1. Locate owl from a distance using binoculars.
  2. Slowly and silently approach the owl, remaining totally hidden
  3. Extend monopod to only 1/2 its height (3 feet)
  4. Hold monopod at arm’s length in front of me
  5. Do NOT show my face (only may see owl in camera LCD screen)
  6. Take photographs and retreat.

If I show my face, the owl flushes, which is NOT desired.

At the nest …
By contrast, this this Barn Owl’s mate does not care what I do. I could even sing at the top of my lungs, and it sleeps through my serenade.

Just 50 yards away the Great Horned Owlets are getting bigger. At home in Minnesota, these owlets would now be branching, but that is not possible where they live. Their first movement will be flight … Mom keeping watch nearby … the Red-Tailed Hawk was hunting very close to the nest at 7 am both mornings.

Final Super Monopod photograph