Boreal Blowouts

Year 11

Today should have been a great birding day, but it wasn’t! I was hoping and expecting to see Great Gray Owls in the Pine Island State Forest wilderness west of Big Falls, Minnesota. The wind was dead calm … the skies were overcast and dark … it is mid November (i.e. owls start hunting meadow voles).  Even when the owls did not appear, Toomey-Williams Forest Road always provides excitement, except when it doesn’t.

Oh well, last week I had a great time birding just north of Tucson. I always enjoy seeing the “metallic blue cardinal” which is otherwise known as a male Phainopepla.

Tomorrow I will give Toomey-Williams one more try. The sun is even supposed to make an appearance in the morning. Thankfully all was not lost today. I am at our small Northwoods cabin which is actually shut down for the season (read … no running water or heat except for the wood stove). After supper I really wanted a treat and discovered a 10 year old container of Jiffy Pop. All the other food had been taken home for the winter. The Jiffy Pop popped. “It’s as fun to make as it is to eat! Jiffy Pop”. (Jiffy Pop TV commercial from 1980 … email subscriber link)

Great Horned Owl Plumage Phases or Morphs

Year 11, ,

In my post published earlier this morning I wrote about Great Horned Owl variations in plumage color … often called “phases” or “morphs”. While I’m sure most birders understand the concept, it can be helpful to see the different variations next to each other.

First in this post you have the “Desert or Southwest Phase” Great Horned Owl which I saw yesterday afternoon in the Sonoran Desert a bit north of Tucson. Here is that bird and its grayish / white feather colorations which tends to match its habitat found in the desert

Second I present the “Arctic Phase” Great Horned Owl which tends to be found in the northern Canadian Boreal Forest I saw this owl and its youngster during the June of 2023 in Alberta. This owl’s feathers are more white which helps for winter camouflage during that long season of the year.

In closing here is my own “Boreal Forest Phase” Great Horned Owl which tends to be the most common in North America, and helps the owl blend in with its forest habitat.  This bird is the female Great Horned Owl that has nested six years straight near my home in northern Minnesota. You will note this owl’s feather coloration is much more brown and gray. Note how the coloration blends with the white pine tree in which it is perched.

If you wish to reach more about the Great Horned Owl, browse to Cornell’s All About Birds web service. This link will take you to the identification page for Great Horned Owls. Regional Differences including plumage color or phases is discussed towards the bottom of the web page.

Golden Hour Desert Queen Owl!

Year 11

During a hike at Catalina State Park yesterday afternoon in the Sonoran Desert I found this Great Horned Owl preparing for the evening hunt. Its feather plumage was fun to see … grayish white which the Cornell School of Ornithology recognizes as a “desert or SW phase” plumage color (scroll down to regional differences of the Cornell website). This coloration makes great sense given all the grays in its desert environment. Based upon the size of this individual owl I believe it is a female.

Watch my video of this owl starting its late afternoon hunt (video link for email subscribers)