January Surfers 001

The increased snow we received last week has not only made outdoor winter activities great but it appears to have brought more owls to the shore. People traveling the shore between Duluth/Superior and Grand Marais have seen up to six boreal owls, a hawk owl, four snowy owls and almost a dozen barred owls.

Even though it was cold this week, I decided to spend some time looking for owls. On Stoney Point instead of owls I found surfers. When I am down south sometimes people ask me what Minnesotans do when the wind chill gets to twenty below. Now I can answer “Surf”!

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January Surfers 002

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Snowy Owl 001

In Duluth I found this snowy owl close to Garfield Avenue.

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Snowy Owl 002

I wanted to get closer for a better photo but this crow started harassing the owl and it flew onto railroad property that is posted “No Trespassing”.

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Boreal Owl 001

Just outside of Knife River this boreal owl was resting in some brush beside Scenic Highway 61.

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It was pretty accommodating and let me set up my tripod right next to it for some great photos. Several other birders stopped and soon there was quite a string of cars alongside the road.

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Barred Owl 001

In Two Harbors I found this beautiful barred owl hunting voles on the edge of a grove of white pine. The owl was so intent on hunting that it wasn’t bothered by me at all.

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Barred Owl 002

There was a red squirrel in the tree above it and when it looked up at the squirrel it appears as though the owl is missing its head.

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Barred Owl 003

Its flat facial disc collects sound which allows an owl to hear a mouse running under a foot and half of snow. Every time I see a barred owl I think it looks like it is wearing a ski mask draped down around its neck.

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Barred Owl 004

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