Great Gray Owl Hunting

Year 11

It was  quite windy earlier this week, and when Tuesday morning was forecast to be calm and overcast … hopefully with no rain, I trekked over to Sax-Zim Bog. Not many returning migrants were yet around with the exception of Sandhill Cranes which I saw many places. One of my bigger surprises was finding a huge flock of evening grosbeaks … mixed sexes. I would have though these finches would have returned deeper into the Boreal Forest in preparation for the breeding season, but the grosbeaks were not in any hurry to end their winter patterns.

Later in the morning, I stumbled across a Great Gray Owl in an unusual location hunting long into the daylight hours. The owl even put up with small amounts of drizzle. I watched the Great Gray hunt for over 75 minutes with nary a car or other person present.

Here is my first view of the owl … however within 10 minutes it flew over to hunt only 20 yards from where I was standing!

Great Gray Owl Hunting

The Movie (video link for email subscribers)

Canosia Ospreys a Courting

Year 11

Eight days ago I noticed that male ospreys had arrived back in the Northland, and specifically the Canosia Wildlife Reserve. The reserve has three osprey nests. I assume these raptors find the fishing in the nearby lakes and ponds stellar. As of this morning, two nest have males “hanging” out, waiting and hoping for females to return north. The nest off Lismore Road must be prime habitat as the male at that nest had already been selected as a mate by a returning female.

Sunday morning I enjoyed watching the ospreys cement their relationship! This nest even has a nearby Great Blue Heron Rookery, and the ospreys did not take kindly when two herons made a pass at their nest. The “fish eagles” attacked instantly! (see the video)

I’m not certain these images and videos were Sunday morning certified, but I had fun watching the pair ospreys before church!

Ospreys Mating

Again?! Yup says the Male!

The Happy Couple! Was it as Good for You?!

Bringing Sticks Post Coupling. I guess the male wants to let his sweetheart understand the depth of his love!

Stick Delivery #1

Stick Delivery #2 (a double! … a stick in each talon)

Stick Delivery #3

Stick Delivery #4

Stick Deliver #5

Ospreys Mating & Nest Building … the Movie! (video link for email subscribers)

Birds / Owlets in the Rain

Year 11,

The weather has been ugly. In addition to the rain, winds have been gusting to just shy of 50 mph in Duluth. This is not weather that Great Horned Owlets love (or me). I took this image of the Amity Owlets early yesterday morning just before leaving for a small cabin on the Mississippi River just north of Dubuque, Iowa.

Great Horned Owlets in the Rain (Day 17 .. 27 days old)

However, the wet weather followed me south. I found many migrating birds hanging out near Dubuque … perhaps their northward migration stalled out at the John Deere Dike Park to await better conditions. It was still wet and windy as I watched a small flock of Great Egrets this morning.

However, we did have some nice sunny warmer weather during the past five days, and of course I also visited the Great Horned Owl nest on those days! The nest is getting real crowded as the owlets grow!

Great Horned Owlets + Mom (Day 14 .. 24 days old)

Great Horned Owlets + Mom (Day 15 .. 25 days old)

One item you may note, birding and photography in the rain and other bad weather often yields interesting images … both the egrets and owls. Don’t always wait for the perfect day to practice your craft!