Tag Archives: MN North: Duluth

Meet Smokey, the Great Gray Owlet!

Background, Year 10,

Smokey, the Great Gray Owl chick is looking for a rainbow, and the first draft of his children’s picture book story is now completed (written and photographed). I took these images many moons ago on a damp, foggy summer day in Sax-Zim Bog. It was one of my most special times birding. Only one other time in my life have I ever found two Great Gray Owlets. Thankfully I kept the original image files from straight out of my camera, which allowed me to rework the photos for my upcoming new book. My skill at photo editing is now much more refined than when I first met Smokey (Smokey is the Great Gray Owlet on the right of the image)

In the second image, Smokey is begging for food … like most toddlers! The chick’s parent was sitting in a tree about 50 yards distant, and totally ignoring the screech.

A video of the two owlets (video link for email subscribers)

And my first bird photographs of 2023 … year 10 of this journey! I have seen this Snowy Owl a number of times including when these images were taken yesterday afternoon. This morning I searched for Snowy for 35 minutes before sunrise, hoping for a sunrise image. Not! My first images of 2023 were almost of Snow Buntings. I found a flock of over 200 birds, and waited and hoped they would fly towards me. Once again, not!

Snowy Owls Times Two!

Year 9

I had a great time watching not one, but two Snowy Owls hunt yesterday afternoon. At one point the female took exception to the male hunting near her winter territory, and chased the male out of the area. Like most owls, female Snowy Owls are larger than the males, but their feather coloration is also different. As a male approaches maturity it becomes increasingly “snowy white” and loses most of its black streaking. A male Snowy Owl that might be six years normally is “snowy white”. Learn more about Snowy Owls via the Owl Institute’s web page dedicated to Snowy Owls.

Here are my two Snowys. The first image was taken yesterday afternoon of the female. The second image was taken two days ago of the male. Note how the male (a young male which is likely is not yet of breeding age) is much more white.

Female Snowy Owl

Male Snowy Owl

Remember, if you like Snowy Owls, I give away PDF full versions of my children’s picture book, Snowy’s Search for Color. Learn more and get a copy. Printed copies will be available again in January.