Northern Hawk Owl! - 30 Dec 2018

Skye Haas had posted on 29 Dec 2018 that a Northern Hawk Owl was found in Sault Saint Marie, MI by Andrew Deelin:

We found a Northern Hawk Owl in Sault Ste. Marie (Chippewa Co.) yesterday and today at midday both days. The owl was at Chippewa County Animal Control on S. Mackinac Trail. When we first spotted it, it caught a prey item from the meadowy patch north of the building and flew onto the power lines almost directly above the parking lot before it flew back to the woods, presumably to cache it. It came back to some nearby power lines and continued hunting by hovering into the headwind. Today, we viewed it preening in the trees by the dog park. Definitely possible to see from the animal control parking lot or close to the dog park entrance, but it seemed watchful of people, so please enjoy this bird from a distance.

I looked at Robin and announced, "Road Trip!". We had errands to run, but I was given permission to drive up to the Soo to look for the bird. I left Saturday morning at 11 am and drove north to the Mackinac Bridge. I was surprised at how little snow was on the ground in the area north of West Branch. Roads were clear and less than 2" of snow was dusted over the fields on either side of I-75. Skies even cleared as I reached the Bridge at about 3 pm. A coyote and Pileated Woodpecker were the highlights of drive.

Gaylord Rest Area--northbound I-75, Otsego, Michigan, US
Dec 29, 2018 3:00 PM - 3:05 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.1 mile(s)
1 species

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160897076

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Given that I had less than 2 hours before dark I resisted a stop in Rudyard to look for Snowy Owls and chose instead to continue on to the Soo to try to find the Northern Hawk Owl before dark. I spotted a single Snowy Owl atop a fir tree on the southbound I-75 shoulder, but it was backlit by the afternoon sun, so I didn't bother to slow down. However, I couldn't resist a bright white Snowy Owl on the northbound side of I-75 just before the Rudyard/Pickford Exit.

Rudyard Loop--Northeast, Chippewa, Michigan, US
Dec 29, 2018 4:00 PM - 4:10 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
1 species

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160897289

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

I reached the Chippewa County Animal Control office on Mackinac Trail but did not see the owl. The roads, parking lots, and surrounding fields were solid ice. Not good. Recent thaw/refreezes had left the ground covered in a sheet of ice that would make hunting difficult. But, the guy in the office showed me where the bird was perching and mentioned that it had been around the past 2-3 weeks. He wasn't sure if he was seeing an owl or a hawk! I spent the next half hour slowly driving up and down the road looking for said bird, but could not relocate it. I'd have to wait until morning to try again. Next stop, Days Inn for the night.

Sunday morning awoke to clearing skies and temps at 20F. I drove over to the location at 8 am but again was met with no bird in sight. So, I decided to take a quick loop down Riverside Drive to look for Sharp-tailed Grouse and/or Wild Turkeys. I found the latter near 15-Mile Rd and managed a few photos from inside the car. 

15-Mile and Riverside, Chippewa, Michigan, US

Dec 30, 2018 8:00 AM - 8:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
1 species

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)  8

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S160897431

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

I then returned to the Animal Control office and slowly scanned tree tops for the hawk owl. I finally spotted a tiny black speck atop the tree line on the other side of the grave pit about ⅓ mile away. Northern Hawk Owl! I reached for the bins to verify and it was gone. A few moments later I saw it again about 100 yds south of its location, still across the other side of the gravel pit south of the Animal Control office. 9:20 am.

I grabbed the scope and camera and decided to walk down the road into the gravel pit leaving the car parked on Mackinaw Trail. Walking was treacherous; the driveway into the gravel pit was solid ice and steep, and drops into the pit. I made my way to the field to my left where large sand mounds would make a good area for observation. The Northern Hawk Owl was still perched on the tree several hundred yards away, but at least I could get a record digiscoped image from this location. No sooner did I get the scope on it the bird left its perch and flew down toward my direction.

I quickly grabbed the Nikon D300/300 2.8 and tried to photograph it as it flew across the gravel pit toward me. And, just as expected, the camera could not lock focus on the flying gray-brown bird perfectly camouflaged against the gray-brown gravel pit below it. Astonishingly though, the hawk owl flew to the tree directly to my left and perched against the backlit skies!

It stayed only momentarily. As I swung the scope around to digiscope it it suddenly took off again, this time toward the snow mounds at the edge of the property line where trees and thickets offered it a chance to catch a rodent. I managed a single shot of it as it flew into the trees. 

As quickly as it had landed in the snow (ice) it flew back to its perch in the tree next to me. Again, I could not lock focus on it fast enough as swirling snow was suddenly wreaking havoc on the autofocus.

The owl never rested, though, and quickly flew toward me and over my head to the pines at the south end of the Animal Control office. And again, I could not focus fast enough to capture it in flight as passed directly overhead. I managed one OOF and one sharp image with its head cut off. 

This moment will forever haunt me...

Still, I was grateful for a moment that brought the bird directly to me. It could have easily have spent the morning atop the trees in back of the gravel pit and be viewable only through the scope. So, thank you little bird.

The hawk owl then perched only a moment on the tops of the trees to my north before disappearing again. I had walked back to the car, and driven back toward the office but could not see it. Turning around, I stopped one last time at the gravel pit and scanned with binoculars. 

I was able to relocate the bird in a snag overlooking the gravel pit, but as soon as I hiked back down to the gravel pit and set up the scope it disappeared. In the moment it took me to look down and grab the camera it was gone. I would not see it again.

Luckily, it did return for the folks from MI and OH that drove up to look for it. I had to start making my way home, as I was expected for dinner. I wanted to make a pass through Rudyard to look for Snowy Owls so it was time drive back south.

Chippewa County Animal Control, Chippewa, Michigan, US
Dec 30, 2018 9:20 AM - 9:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     See blog post for full description at https://birdingthroughglass.blogspot.com/2018/12/northern-hawk-owl-30-dec-2018.html
1 species

Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula)  1     See blog post https://birdingthroughglass.blogspot.com/2018/12/northern-hawk-owl-30-dec-2018.html for full details. Bird initially located at 9:15 am on far side of gravel pit south of the mapped location. it then flew to my side of pit and landed in tree next to me. Then flew to trees north before disappearing. Got digiscoped and telephoto images in flight and while perched.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S51122545

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

The skies clouded up as soon as I reached the Rudyard/Pickford Exit. I saw the first of 4 Snowy Owls in the fields to the west of Centerline Rd. and it was a beautiful white male(?) bird perched on a fence about 100 yds away. I was able to get a few pics from inside the car, and a few digiscoped images before it flew a short distance to the grass and hunkered down for the day.

I would see 3 other Snowies in the fields to the south, but they were too far for any photos. Instead, I decided to grab a few pics of the derelict barns that have (finally) collapsed.

And, with that, its time to bid adieu to 2018! Happy New Year, and may 2019 bring optimum exposures and sharp images.

Rudyard Flats Area, Chippewa, Michigan, US
Dec 30, 2018 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     See blog post for full details: https://birdingthroughglass.blogspot.com/2018/12/northern-hawk-owl-30-dec-2018.html
1 species

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)  4

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S51122607

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)