I found a Leucistic Common Redpoll this morning at the Yellow-Bellied Bog on Perry Road in Sax-Zim Bog … a most “uncommon redpoll!” Normally I do not like to take “feeder photographs”, but in this case it helps show you the difference between a redpoll with normal pigment, and one without, Leucism (Wikipedia link).

Leucistic Common Redpoll

Feeder Videos with the Leucistic Common Redpoll (subscriber video links: video one & two)

Common Redpoll feeding frenzy (subscriber video link: video three)

Have you ever tried to think like an owl? With most birds, when they focus upon a food source, is there a reason a particular decision has been made? If one is able to confirm (or deny) one’s hypothesis it will make birding easier in the future.

A number of us found a Northern Hawk Owl yesterday up in Sax-Zim Bog. The owl chose to hunt from the tallest tree that was near a small bit of open water in a small creek. My question, for which I don’t know the answer, did that small amount of open water attract more voles and mice. While I may not know the answer, it is quite possible the owl has learned the answer to this question. These are the kinds of questions you should always be asking yourself while birding.

Northern Hawk Owl

and on its perch …

Well sort of … a Snow Bunting is really an Arctic Tundra bird. The buntings are busy migrating back through northern Minnesota to reach their breeding grounds up in the Arctic. They will arrive up north before the snow completely melts. (all the links in this post are to the Cornell School of Ornithology)

The rest of the birds in this post are true Boreal Forest Birds. Brown Creepers will never visit your feeders, but often relate to nuthatches and chickadees. While nuthatches go downhill on your trees, brown creepers go uphill!

Everyone knows the Black-Capped Chickadee. These little birds bring joy through the deep dark days of winter, but how many of you have ever met Minnesota’s other chickadee … the Boreal Chickadee?! These chickadees will never visit your feeders UNLESS you bribe them with peanut butter (or suet). They do no eat sunflower seeds. Seen while hiking Gray Jay Way up in Sax-Zim Bog yesterday afternoon.