Tag Archives: MN North: Amity

Indigo and Red Were the Colors of the Day

Year 10,

Late Spring is a time of plenty for us birders. My first stop shortly after sunrise was the Hawk Ridge Ledges where Indigo Buntings were advertising for mates in full force.

Next I walked the woods only 800 yards from my own house. Apparently a pair of Red-Headed Woodpeckers are considering making my forest home their home! (Thanks to Ben Anderson who posted on eBird!) Red-Headed Woodpeckers may be expanding their range into the Duluth area. Each year a few more seem to nest locally, and now near my house!

24 Hours of Northland Owling

Year 10,

Early June is the time of year one often finds owls active after sunrise. Their owlets are getting big, and require lots of food, which means hunting lasts longer. Yesterday in addition to my local Great Horned Owls (see end of post), I watched a Great Gray Owl hunt for a bit shy of two hours up in Sax-Zim Bog. Actually the parent bird was still hunting when I left, but its hunting locale was getting to a boggy area where it was difficult to walk.

Sax-Zim Bog Great Gray Owl (dawn hunter – video link for email subscribers)

Hunting

Preening

Crow Fly-Over (the owl stands up tall and imitates a deadhead snag)

Back to Hunting

FuzzBall and its Great Horned Owl Mom

Junior Branches!

Year 10

Over the past three days the remaining owlet, junior, has progressed from loving its nest to branching. Mom could not be happier! See the timeline from Cornell. Owlets branch about day #40 of their life, and fly about day #48.

Three days ago at sunrise … nest bound

Two days ago … getting braver on the nest’s edge

Yesterday evening … almost there

Sunrise this morning … six feet above the nest … branching!

Proud Momma Great Horned Owl!