Tag Archives: MN North: Sax-Zim Bog

Bookending the Northern Night: Owls at Sunset & Sunrise

Year 10,

Yesterday evening I put on full mosquito gear and hiked back into the Bog. I was rewarded when a Great Gray Owl flew over near me and landed only 20 yards away. It totally ignored my presence while hunting. Listen to the soundtrack to get an idea of the mosquitoes … it was horrible (video link for email subscribers).

This morning I was hiking by 5:30 am and quickly discovered Junior had fledged overnight! Both Great Horned Owlets are now flying. I found the entire family this morning, Mom, Dad and both owlets. For the first time since FuzzBall fell from the nest four weeks ago, the owlets were reunited! Here is na image I took of Momma Great Horned Owl on guard at sunrise this morning … crows were present. Now that the Great Horned Owl family has left their nest, I can reveal for three months they were living only 25 yards from the end of my driveway!!!

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

Fuzz Ball is Doing Fine!

Year 10, ,

The Great Horned Owlet I rescued two nights ago is doing fine. Even after last night’s 37F low temperature, the little owl is still very alert and tracking well. Getting the youngster back up into the nest tree was difficult, but the right action. Given the bird was still so very young, it was not able to branch, climb or make short flights. After an assessment that there were no injuries, some assistance was required. It is also obvious that the parents are definitely feeding the owlet at night. There is lots of poop present!

Here are three images of the owlet’s family from over the past two days. In the first photo its sibling seems to be wondering … where is Fuzz Ball? While in the second and third pics Momma Owl stands guard (sunset and sunrise pics). Crow attacks are common.

The other owlet

Sunset Guard Duty

Sunrise Guard Duty

While I have not had much time to get anywhere else birding as Fuzz Ball has been my focus, three days ago I made a quick trip up to Sax-Zim Bog (Gray Jay / Canada Jay), and I found a Common Merganser couple had moved into Lester River now that the current has slowed way down.