Tag Archives: WI North: Richard Bong Airport

The Hunters! (video)

November 19, 2017Year 4MN North: Sax-Zim Bog, WI North: Richard Bong Airportrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Before sunrise I drove over to Superior in search of Snowy Owls. While I did not find any owls, about ten minutes before sunrise I spied an early hunting Rough-Legged Hawk. I was actually surprised to see it hunting before sunup. Thus, I positioned my car as a blind and captured the hawk in the very first rays of morning sun … less than five minutes after the golden orb popped above the horizon.

This afternoon I had planned on just chilling out, but when I got wind of a Northern Hawk Owl up near Stone Lake Road in Sax-Zim Bog I quickly changed those plans. While I never found the owl, I had a blast watching this mink for over ten minutes as it fished the small creek adjacent to Stone Lake Road. Finally right at sun down I watched another Rough-Legged Hawk near the greenhouse on Hwy #7 … the second time I had seen it in that area this afternoon. I did make a few swings along McDavitt Road towards sunset but did not find any Great Gray Owls. Even with the misses, it was a great day out in the woods.

Sax-Zim Bog Mink

Rough-Legged Hawk at Sunrise

Lord of the Night

March 3, 2017Year 4WI North: Richard Bong Airportrichardhoeg@gmail.com

I decided I should visit my friend, Number 32 (banded number), one more time before this Snowy Owl heads back north, which could be any day now. Thus, I drove over to the Superior Middle School and had fun watching friend Snowy hunt at sunset. Actually, the Lord of the Night might be a female, but I choose to think of it as an immature male.

Horned Larks: Northward Migration Starting Now!

February 12, 2017Year 4WI North: Richard Bong Airportrichardhoeg@gmail.com

Today’s bird of the day is a very early harbinger of Spring (not even 1/2 of the way through February). In theory Horned Larks do not over winter up here in the Northland. I found a pair in the Duluth area this morning feeding on the side of the road. Given Horned Larks nest as far north as the shores of the Arctic Ocean, along with Snow Buntings they tend to be some of the earliest birds to start the northward migration through our area.