Our Best 5 Minutes - 07 Feb 2025
Robin and I took a late afternoon drive down to Point Mouillee SGA HQ to look out over the lake. Skies were clear and temperatures were 28F. Despite the sub-freezing temperature the roads (Campau Rd. and Haggerman Rd.) were muddy and wet.
The parking lot at PMSGA HQ was still a sheet of ice, but the ice on the Huron River was thawing; several dozen Lesser Scaup and Common Goldeneye were swimming in the open water just a few feet out from the west side of the parking lot. Unfortunately, the Sun was low enough to severely backlight the ducks.
We only stayed a few minutes and drove further south to Haggerman Road. Driving west we could see a number of cars (and people) already parked and standing by the side of the road east of the Antenna Farm so the hope that something was being seen.
We'd see a pair of Short-eared Owls take off from the north field to the south field but they were too far away to attempt to photograph. I pointed to a third Short-eared Owl was was sitting on the fence along the east side of the farm, and as we approached it began to forage along the fence line toward the south side next to Haggerman Rd.
It landed just as we drove by the group of cars so I decided to get out and grab a few pics from the road.
To our fortune it then took off and flew low over the grass in front of us and began to hover for several seconds just 30-50' away from us! I took over 2000 photos in the span of just 2 minutes...
The owl then banked toward us before continuing to hover over the grass in front of us.
Unable to find any possible prey the Short-eared Owl drifted back over the fence and flew east toward heavy cover.
We'd spot a 4th Short-eared Owl next to the road on the south side but the mud was soft enough that I did not want to stop for fear of getting stuck. What a great 5 minutes of birding!
Antenna Farm, Monroe, Michigan, US
Feb 7, 2025 4:45 PM - 4:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Jerry and Robin; Sunny, cold, 28F. Road wet and muddy.
1 species
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) 4 Pair of owls in field south of Haggerman Road., one on fence that flew in front of us and hovered for several seconds, and a fourth in the south field next to Labo Road. Pics and blog post at https://birdingthroughglass.bl
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Feb 7, 2025 4:45 PM - 4:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: Jerry and Robin; Sunny, cold, 28F. Road wet and muddy.
1 species
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) 4 Pair of owls in field south of Haggerman Road., one on fence that flew in front of us and hovered for several seconds, and a fourth in the south field next to Labo Road. Pics and blog post at https://birdingthroughglass.bl
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
