Tag Archives: MN North: Sax-Zim Bog

Snow Birds … Red and Gray!

Year 6,

As noted we had another winter storm earlier this week dumping eight additional inches of snow on the Northland. With over 3 feet of snow on the ground, birds have started using bird feeders in a BIG way. Find some bird feeders, and you will find lots of birds. I photographed these snow birds during two different excursions this week.

One interesting side note is a few years ago you would never have found cardinals in the Duluth area. These were not a bird of the Boreal forest. Cardinals have been expanding their range northward, and I now have friends 1/2 the way to Two Harbors from Duluth along the shore who have these red birds in their yard.

Northern Cardinal near my own feeders (during the snow storm)

Gray Jay near the Admiral Road feeders in Sax-Zim Bog (as a fyi … Boreal Chickadees have also been seen eating peanut butter at this remote feeder in the middle of the woods)

Yet Another Snowstorm … Backyard Birding

Year 6,

Eight inches of snow fell overnight and into this morning. Our total snowfall for the past twelve days in my neighborhood since Thanksgiving is thirty-seven inches of the white stuff. My total time shoveling is now nine hours, and I will still have to clean the driveway and sidewalk one more time from this storm. However, on the plus, or I should say minus side skies will clear tonight and the mercury will plummet. Upon waking tomorrow morning the temperature will be -10F (-23C). Perfect for birding!

Given the current weather, my seven bird feeders are very popular with our fine feathered friends. Notice the snow in the images and the video (white streaks). The woodpecker definitely always hangs out on the downwind side of trees.

Female Northern Cardinal in a Snowstorm

Red-Bellied Woodpecker in a Snowstorm

Video (YouTube link for email subscribers)

From two days ago … Northern Shrike in Sax-Zim Bog. I also have a shrike hunting songbirds at my bird feeders, but I have yet to be able to get a photo. Thus … this power line photo in the Bog.

Railroad Kill Cafe!

Year 6

Everyone knows you will find Bald Eagles, and lots of other birds scavenging road kill in the winter. Pay attention to railroad tracks. This morning I found five Bald Eagles enjoying some fresh white-tail deer. Here photos of three different eagles.

Earlier in the morning I also found this Rough Legged Hawk hunting.

Finally, my target bird was to find a Northern Hawk Owl which has been seen periodically. Here is some information which may help others be more successful than I was this morning. I failed.

Some ideas for possibly finding the Northern Hawk Owl. There have been periodic reports of a NHO hunting on Arkola Rd one mile west of Owl Avenue. I looked hard for the bird w/o success this morning, but perhaps with this information you may have more luck. South of Arkola Rd about two hundreds yards through the Spruce Trees is a HUGE open area which is where I believe the NHO spends most of its time hunting. I walked through the deep snow (2 to 3 feet deep) and thick stands of spruce to reach that area. Bring some binoculars. There are a fantastic number of hunting perches throughout the big open area. I tried this at two spots separated by 1/2 mile. This is super habitat for a NHO. I doubt it will spend much time by the road. Please let me know if you are successful.