Hoot was begging for food in a tree right our side my bedroom window at 3:30 am this morning. Once I realized what time it was, I thought just perhaps Hoot (the oldest of my Great Horned Owl family juveniles) was trying to tell me to get my “#*!0” out of bed, and go see the comet Neowise. By 3:55 am I was down at Brighton Beach on Lake Superior, and I owe my owl friend a big thanks. While I did not take any photographs of the comet (the horizon was already showing the pre-dawn light … sunrise was at 5:25 am), the view was amazing. I could easily see the Comet with my naked eyes, and by using my binoculars the comet’s tail was an awe inspiring sight. When the comet appears in the night time sky in true darkness in about one week, get out there! (good web site / blog for learning more about the comet … Astro Bob)

Given I was up so early, and only live 45 minutes from Sax-Zim Bog, I drove over to see if I might find some Great Gray Owls hunting just before sunrise. Nope! However, I found something which for me is much more rare, and by approaching very slowly with the sun extremely low in the sky and right behind me, a Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk). I have never had such a neat viewing experience of a Northern Harrier. For over 30 minutes I watched it hunt (unsuccessfully) and preen. These birds spook so very easily, but it could not see me due to the sun’s low angle. Thanks Astro Bob and Comet Neowise!

Northern Harrier Take-Off

Early morning housekeeping

A few other pics of the Northern Harrier (and a video … link for email subscribers)

One final image. I know the United States is sweltering in a heat wave. The temperature was 47F at 5:10 am, fifteen minutes before sunrise (lots of ground fog).

Molly and I are doing “Grammy and Grampa” camp. We have our two oldest grandchildren visiting for the week, and we’re trying to give them a fun time, when other options are not available during this Pandemic. For me that means “Birding with Grampa” which includes the required food … plain cake doughnuts! We enjoyed a stop at the Sax-Zim Bog Welcome center where the first doughnut was consumed, and then the boardwalk where a second doughnut was consumed!

Our surprises of the morning were coming across a wild turkey family with baby chicks right on Owl Avenue near the Welcome Center. While turkeys have expanded their range dramatically over the past twenty years, I still find it very off to find this kind of bird in the middle of the Bog … in Boreal Forest. In addition, Grampa (and the kids) saw lifer! I had never seen and photographed a Sedge Wren (see below), which leads me to answer a question that Jill H. had asked via the comments in a recent post. She was curious what birds she might see in the grasslands. Up in the Meadowlands just south of the Bog habitat there are lots of grassland areas. Jill had asked what sparrows (in addition to other birds) she might be expected to see. While the answer will vary depending upon where one lives, I use two excellent resources to help me identify those birds which I do see … iBird Pro (Apple / Android). This app provides useful facts for all North American birds, and has excellent bird song recordings.

I combine iBird with Merlin from the Cornell School of Ornithology. Merlin has a downloadable database of birds which will identify the bird you saw from a photograph you took of said bird. Using Merlin is how I identified the Sedge Wren. I knew the wren was not a sparrow based upon its shape, but I did not know what kind of bird it was.

My Sedge Wren Photographs

My Partners in Crime … Plain Cake Doughnut Eaters!

On the way home we stopped off at one of three Osprey Nests I have been monitoring. I wanted to give them a chance to easily try their new binoculars. I gave them each a pair of binoculars for their birthdays. I purchased them each a pair of Occer 12×25 Compact Binoculars. I am impressed with the quality and they are perfect for small hands … light and not to expensive ($50). (just a fyi … I have receive no financial benefit from ANY product to which I link via my blog).

The Merlin Bird ID Identification Process (screenshots from my tablet)

Today is the Summer Solstice! While I will not be at Stonehenge to welcome the celestial event, here in northern Minnesota today is still cause for celebration. First I will take everyone on a tour of my yard … wildlife and bird friendly in particular. Over the next few weeks the flowers will explode in color! (video link for email subscribers)

Hoeg H’Arbor!

Summer weather means it’s time to visit grassland birds. Yesterday I arrived at Sax-Zim Bog at 5:45 am. While I did not find any juvenile Great Gray Owls, I enjoyed watching grassland birds just south of the Bog near the Meadowlands.

Killdeer

Eastern Kingbird

This morning I was hiking in my forest by 5:30 am. I did find one of my owls, but it was not willing to pose for a photograph. When I arrived home from my hike, I took the video shown earlier in this post … then it was on to the Wisconsin Grasslands along Wisconsin Hwy #13 near Cloverland. A good time was had by all!

The many personalities of a Bobolink

A Wilson Snipe checks over its territory near some ponds.

Make sure you get our and enjoy the grassland birds. They are the last to migrate north, and the first to leave us to head south. It’s all to brief a visit.