Tag Archives: MN North: Sax-Zim Bog

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.

Courting the Female! (Ring-Necked Pheasant)

Year 10

Yesterday’s post was about Broad-Winged Hawk Love. Today we move on the Ring-Necked Pheasants. While the hawks were showing their love actually within Sax-Zim Bog, this pair was just south of Meadowlands. Birding the Bog is fun because it offers the ability to easily bird two unique habitats … the Boreal Forest and Meadows / Pastures.

I first spotted the male Ring-Necked Pheasant standing in the middle of a dirt road. I suspected if I was very careful the bird would not fly away. The pheasant was laser focused on the hen. Isn’t love grand?!

All the images are in sequence. By waiting the male pheasant eventually ignored me and displayed and crowed for his lady friend. (video link for email subscribers)