Given both this blog, and my volunteer work as a naturalist, I am getting lots of questions about the current owl irruption in northeastern Minnesota. With this post, I will try to let the Great Gray Owls answer those questions!

Where is the irruption taking place?

What are the backroads like in Northern Minnesota?

What should I do if I see an owl hunting a railroad right of way?

Will Rich Hoeg (the owner of this blog) share his private local owling locations?

What is the highway speed limit when I need to drive home?

If I get lost, how will I find my way?

If the owl’s answer to this last question is NOT obvious, follow the light house’s beacon!

All of these photographs were taken within the past two days. Rich would like to thank each and every owl which agreed to be part of the answer to your questions about the Northeastern Minnesota Owl Irruption of 2025.

I would like to correct “only” one answer given by an owl. Rich Hoeg will not give out his private owling locations. It is neat that many of you are coming from all around America to enjoy our special wilderness. Great Gray Owls are native to Northeastern Minnesota. However, this winter we have many more owls in our region … both locals and migrants. In my experience most of the migrants tend to start flying north around the 1st of March. Thus, plan trips to our area with that thought in mind.

On a closing note, this morning I was interviewed on Wisconsin Public Radio about owls in Northwestern Wisconsin and Northeastern Minnesota. If you would like to read a transcript of that interview, please browse to WPR. Unfortunately I do not believe the sound files of the interview are active anymore.

I was distracted on New Year’s Eve Day on the way to and from some medical appointments yesterday. Three different Great Gray Owls decided I should take some time out and enjoy nature … one in the morning a few minutes before sunrise, and then two owls in the afternoon.

The first owl was quite concerned about some crows, but not about me or any of the cars rushing by on the highway. I definitely was NOT in a normal birding location while watching the first Great Gray Owl (video link for email subscribers).

Great Gray Owl #1 (in the morning just before sunrise … watching crows)

Great Gray Owls #2 (after my medical appointments)

What I expect is not what I see! Over the last three days Great Gray Owls have outnumbered Pine Grosbeaks 4 to 1! In addition, late yesterday afternoon I discovered six Horned Larks. In short none of these sightings are normal …

• Seeing four Great Gray Owls in a single afternoon, and NOT being at Sax-Zim Bog was crazy nice. Each owl was a private showing for me!
• Pine Grosbeaks are normally a common winter sight here on the Arctic Riviera. However, I count myself lucky with having found one female pine grosbeak this morning. These birds are staying up in Canada as their food sources are plentiful up there. I scanned the trees and listened for the telltale song of other Pine Grosbeaks, but it was just the lone bird.
• Horned Larks being seen in December 20th is not normal. They migrate through the Northland and should be way south of us now, but six individuals found a wind swept field in which to search for seeds.
• Although I did not see any crossbills over the past few days, it is a banner year for this species. Normally I would be very happy to spy and individual or two.

Two of the Great Gray Owls seen earlier this week …

Owl #1 (in the 1st image the owl is carefully watching a Bald Eagle fly over)

Owl #2 (right at sunset)

One Lone Pine Grosbeak (a new verse for the 12 Days of Christmas?!)

Six Horned Larks