Distracted Before Sunrise!

Year 11,

This morning I got distracted on the way to a pre-sunrise appointment. As I approached my car, I noted Les, Poppa Great Horned Owl, was still hooting … albeit slowly and softly. I thought, I wonder if Les would answer me??? I stood in my dark driveway 45 minutes before sunrise and started hooting. Apparently my hoots weren’t too horrible. Les answered me and started calling out much louder and more frequently!

Realizing I really needed to get going, I jumped in the car and started the drive to my appointment, but I did not get far. Once again I became distracted. The pre-dawn light  over Lake Superior was wunderbar … with the Lester River Bridge and its antique lights in the foreground. I pulled over and a photo session ensured. Thankfully the great folks at Essentia’s Cardiac Rehab know me well, and understand both owls and sunrises occasionally make it difficult for me to arrive on time. Today was one of those mornings. Do you hoot in the dark? I do!!

Lester River Bridge Lake Superior Pre-Dawn Light

Amy … the object of Poppa Owl’s (Les) affections and hoots. Image taken this afternoon.

Who Cooks for Youuuuuuu?!

Year 11

Yesterday afternoon I found a Barred Owl in some Duluth prime habitat … tall trees with lots of cavities near wetlands and a small pond. Over the next few weeks I will see if the owl agrees with me and it wants to nest in this area. I hope.

Duluth Barred Owl

And I was super careful to not flush or scare the owl … it was sleeping by the time I left.

Tomorrow morning it is off to Sax-Zim Bog before sunrise. Part of my search will also include hoping to narrow down nesting territories. While Great Horned Owls nest in late January to February, Barred and Great Grays are now thinking of love. My owling plan is to arrive on Admiral Road around 7am … 15 minutes before sunrise … and then bird Admiral, McDavitt and Arkola Roads in that order. My logic is it has been both relatively cold and super windy for the past few days. Tonight’s forecast has continued strong winds plus a good chance of precipitation, but a few hours before dawn the weather is supposed to change … much lighter winds with cloud cover till around 9 am. I am hoping to find hungry GGO’s and a the bonus would be finding females being fed. Temperature will be chilly … 10F with chill factor down around -7F. The Bog is now almost 100% devoid of other birders. Thus, I will have all these areas to myself.

Owl be Seeing You!

Year 11,

Even though the cold winds and temperatures have returned, winter has lost its grip on the Northland. I was dumbfounded yesterday to see that the ice had gone out on two area lakes, Pike Lake and Rice Lake Reservoir. March 16th was the earliest ice out dates in recorded history … one month earlier than normal. Monday night when a southerly wind returns, I suspect there might be a strong push of waterfowl into the area. These birds often follow ice-out north.

Last week we did have some nice sun which gave me the opportunity to explore the “Looks of Amy!” Remember I live in Duluth, which means there is a huge hill leading up from the big lake … up to glacial Lake Superior’s shoreline. The hills sometimes provide neat viewing points for birds. There are many locations in the forest near my home where I am often able to be at eye level or even above birds that are still high up in the trees. Such is the case with Amy, Momma Great Horned Owl.

The Views of Amy, the Great Horned Owl (as two of the images are landscape photographs, you may wish to click to see at full resolution … you will better understand the white-pine nesting habitat)

Near the nest … from the ground but a raised mound

At approximately eye-level

From above!

The weather yesterday was very, very windy, which did not encourage much birding. Thus, I decided to work upon some video content from this winter … Great Gray Owls across the winter months.

Great Gray Owl in the December Sunshine (video link for email subscribers)

Great Gray Owl During the Falling Snow (video link for email subscribers)