Tag Archives: MN North: Lost River State Forest

Owl Quest 2023!

Year 10,

While birders from across America travel to Minnesota and Sax-Zim Bog to see our Great Gray Owls and other winter birds, where do I go owling / winter birding? The answer is included within this post, and my readers will discover over the next few days whether Owl Quest 2023 is a BOOM or a BUST. I have done significant research, both via eBird reports, books on habitat (Birder’s Guide to Southeastern Manitoba … out of print but purchased used via Amazon), and questions to various birders.

I have personal knowledge of the areas within the United States, but the Manitoba regions are new for me. For the past week I have watched the weather forecast and am thrilled to start my expedition late this afternoon after a winter storm clears the area. My hope is when I start serious birding early tomorrow morning I will encounter very hungry birds after two days of ugly weather limited the ability to eat.

Tonight I will stay in Bemidji … travelling there when roads allow. My second night is in Steinbach, Manitoba. My Maps … I will be looking for Snowy Owls just north of the border (and south of Winnipeg) … then on to birding Great Gray Owls in the Marchand, Manitoba and Lost River State Forest (Roseau), Minnesota regions. I also have very specific GPS Google Maps points.

Minus 32F Birding Success!

Year 9,

Well … my trip has started out with the forecasted light winds, but man … was it cold yesterday morning, -32F (-35.5C). I drove back roads on the way to my first targeted area. Although I did not see a single bird (too darn cold), the habitat was fantastic and merits a return when the mercury warms a touch.

Proof of the Outdoor Temperature (actual, not chill factor)

The first real stop of the morning was Shoreline Drive NE in The Big Bog near Upper Red Lake. This road has wild rice farms (strange juxtaposition of words) right next to the edge of the boreal forest. This spot has been successful for me in the past, and did not disappoint. I found this beautiful Northern Goshawk in the same exact tree in which I have found Northern Hawk Owls in year’s past. Normally Goshawks spook easily, but I think because of the cold this bird was quite willing to let me be present.

I’ll give you one guess where I went next?! In fact I spent some time talking with both “Farmer Vern” and the US Border Patrol for very useful birding information!

Yes, although I was not lost, I had arrived in the Lost River State Forest north of Roseau, Minnesota. I very much enjoyed my birding and must thoroughly recommend the habitat introduced to me by my new friends … The Lake Bottoms! If one takes Roseau County Hwy 16 west from Hwy 310, and then drives north on Cty 123 to just over the Roseau River Bridge, there you will find “The Lake Bottoms”. While not Boreal Forest, it is a DNR managed wildlife area, and is most excellent. I even saw a lifer here, a bird I did not even know existed two weeks ago … the Gray Partridge. Photography was difficult because snow was now swirling near the ground.

Gray Partridge

And perhaps the Queen on the Day. I think this is a female Northern Hawk Owl due to its size. Getting near the bird was a real challenge. I did not have snowshoes (shame on me), and had to struggle through snow up to mid-thigh. In fact, this is when I talked with Farmer Vern. He had a good laugh at my struggle through the snow!

Northern Hawk Owl

Gray Jays Attack Northern Hawk Owl (video!)

Year 4,

Okay, what does Canada’s new nation bird, the Gray Jay, have against Northern Hawk Owls? Apparently, a lot. To make it worse, given our present political climate, these dastardly jays, sometimes called the Canada Jay, flew down south 60 miles in the United States and carried out their attack in northern Minnesota near Upper Red Lake. Perhaps we need a very tall wall to keep the Gray Jays above our northern borders?!

Seriously, I had great fun today as I watched not 1, 2, or even 3, but 4 Northern Hawk Owls. Three of four birds had a pretty good day hunting peat bogs for tasty moles, but #3 had a rough time. In between attacks from nasty Common Redpolls, a pair of Gray Jays got in on the action. You may also wish to see yesterday’s post when I watched two Northern Hawk Owls for a combined total of over five hours … great sun, pics and video. While the light was not as good today, the experience of four hawk owls with all the attacks made for a memorable day. Once again, my total contact time with the Hawk Owls exceeded five hours.

Underneath today’s photographs are two videos … a real time video and a version of the Gray Jays attacking the Northern Hawk Owl, but slowed down by a factor of 4.

Canada Jay Attacks & Slide Past!

Slow Motion 4x: Attacking the Northern Hawk Owl

Real Time: Attacking the Northern Hawk Owl