The winter owling season approaches, and with that time of year many of us look forward to learning more about various owl species. Over the past several years Project Snowstorm has used small GPS Solar Array powered tracking bands to measure exactly where Snowy Owls go from their time in the northern United States to the Arctic for summer breeding. When a Snowy finally flies near a cell tower, even if months have passed, the owl phones home and its data is downloaded. Newer devices often communicate daily via satellite upload.

This winter we hope to put some of these high tech banding devices on Northern Hawk Owls (the owl on my banner). Are hawk owls breeding in Minnesota far from any roads deep in Bogs, or are our friends heading somewhere up in Canada (our best guess). The next question would be where are our winter owls breeding?

Here are some screenshots from eBird which track Snowy Owl reportings (not data downloads from Project Snowstorm). The screenshots demostrate how Snowies disappear from view during their migration … in the vast Canadian wilderness, but eventually reappear at which point their data tracks are downloaded.

October 2020 (Oct. 1 to 16 … essentially no owls)

October 2019 (entire month)

November 2019 (entire month)

Yup … here in northern Minnesota we have definitely entered that period … The Birding Doldrums. Our summer visitors are now all gone, and our winter friends have not arrived. Until nasty weather arrives just north of us in Canada, the birds which consider our region an “Arctic Riviera Vacation” will not push south. I have seen two Snow Buntings, and I have heard of one or two Northern Shrikes being spotted, but …

Even knowing my chances for seeing birds was limited, I spent hours in Sax-Zim Bog over the past two days. The Tamarack Pine needles are at peak which are a golden gift to the eyes. Yesterday morning shortly after sunrise this was my view on McDavitt Road. I could not have been happier … even without a decent bird sighting. I head down to the Twin Cities today for my bi-monthly eye treatment. One year ago today, I did not know if I would be able to experience views like this ever again in my life. Life is good!