Snowy Owls Winter 2019-2020

©Marie Feldmeier, Kittson County,  Dec 21, 2019

NW Minnesota and the Red River Valley 

are high on the list of the most reliable places to spot Snowy Owls 

in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest

 

Official "irruption" year - or not - over the past decade we've always had at least a few reports, more often - dozens (or more) throughout the winter season.  They're relatively easy to spot from the comfort of your car.  Look for them on power poles along roadsides, on top of grain bins, barns and road signs, and on the ground in the middle of - and along side - "minimum maintenance" roads.

But before you venture out, be sure you and your vehicle are prepared for the cold, your gas tank is full and your car maintenance is up-to-date.  Keep your cell phone charged.  Use your car navigation system and pay attention to road signs - so you know where you are in case you need to call for help.

Always use your flashers and turn signals.  

Use your vehicle as a bird blind - STAY IN YOUR CAR!

Stock your car for winter emergencies.

Drive defensively.

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The first report of the fall season came in on 24 October.  It was spotted on a very muddy township road near a sugar beet field west of US 75 and south of Euclid.   Several birders went out to document the report with a photo.  Nobody got lucky.

Isn't October too early?  According to the records in Robert Janssen's "Birds of Minnesota" (the new, updated edition of his "field guide to the distribution of 400 species of birds in Minnesota" will be on the bookshelves in 2019), September would be "early."   It's "normal" to start seeing snowies in the Red River Valley in October and November.

Our 2nd report came from Thief River Falls, east of Northland College on Minnesota State Hwy 1.  An owl was spotted on a township road, two days in a row (Nov 11 & 12) - early in the morning.   No photos were taken and the bird was not found again.

The first documented Snowy Owl of the Season was photographed on Nov 12 by Kyra Midderigh - southeast of Crookston.

13 November - we got a report from rural East Grand Forks.  Again, no photographs.

  

 On 13 November, 2019 Leon Thoreson provided cellphone photos of this bird south of Crookston.

              

On Nov 19 we received 2 reports of Snowy Owls south of Crookston on US 75.   Tim Drisoll's Raptor Ecology Class (University of Minnesota - Crookston) provided photos.

©HvHughes, November 26, 2019

© HvHughes, November 26, 2019

 

On 26 November, this owl was photographed - on a power pole and in the middle of the road - south and west of Warren.

Today the number of Snowy Owls reported so far this season is 20 with 14 photos.

© HvHughes, Oct 27, 2018

If you see one, please view them from a distance - for more advice click on this link:
http://www.projectsnowstorm.org/snowy-owl-etiquette/

If you spot one in the Red River Valley of the North, please send us a text (218-745-5663) or email (AgassizAudubon@gmail.com) with the following information:

your name
phone number
date and time of your sighting
location (nearest intersection or GPS coordinates)
and a photo - even if it's not a great photo, it may be useful.

We do NOT post exact locations of owls.

Thank you!!!

Snowy Owl Sightings - Update

The following is a summary of the Snowy Owls spotted in the Red River Valley starting Thanksgiving week, 2011:

Sunday December 4

At 9am, Van Hapka reported a female Snowy Owl on 190th Street NW in rural Warren  - 2.5 miles west of the Audubon Center.  Heidi Hughes photographed that bird... and on the way to see it she spotted 3 Rough-legged Hawks, 2 Bald Eagles, 4 Ravens, a flock of redpolls and 4 Black-billed Magpies.

Rex Crapeau reported another Snowy Owl at 9:30am at Evans Scrap & Steel on Hwy 32 in Thief River Falls.

Craig Mickelson spotted a Snowy Owl this afternoon - a half mile south of Plumber on Hwy 59 in a tree.

Saturday, December 3

Shelley Steva spotted a Snowy Owl Saturday on Polk County 20 in Sherack.
Rhoda Gust of Roseau reported a Snowy Owl 2 miles northwest of Badger, MN.
Donna Wensloff reported another on a power pole 8 miles south of Roseau. 

Thursday, November 30

Heidi Hughes spotted a Snowy Owl on Hwy 11 north of Salol (between Roseau
and Warroad) and a Goshawk flying over Hwy 11 just north of Badger, MN.

Wednesday, November 29
Duane Potucek reported a Snowy owl 3 miles north and 1 mile west of Radium, MN on Wednesday.

Jan Pietruskewski reported a Snowy Owl southwest of Karlstad near Kick'n Up Kountry - Wagon Wheel Ridge - 1160 410th Ave and Hwy 11.

Bette Allison reported a dead Snowy Owl on Monday at Roseau County Rd 2 and Hwy 89 near Badger. 

Tuesday, November 28

Vern Genovich reported 1 Snowy Owl near Vahallla.

Monday, November 27

Laura Skornicka spotted a Snowy on US 75 between Climax and Crookston, MN.

Sunday, November 26

Suzy Fiesel reported a snowy near Crary, ND.

Saturday, November 25

Jeff Pulkrabek spotted a Snowy Owl in East Grand Forks.
Another was reported east of American Crystal Sugar.
Cheryl Pesh spotted one 2 miles north of East Grand Forks. 

Thanksgiving Week

Angie Owens reported 2 Snowy Owls in Euclid.
Tom Valega spotted a Snowy Owl in Thief River Falls and one at the Warren sewage lagoons.
Faith Rud reported 1 Snowy owl south of 190th Street NW in rural Warren

Call the Snowy Owl Hotline!

Thief River Falls - Snowy Owl (female) © Heidi Hughes

Reports of Snowy Owl sightings started started trickling in to Agassiz Audubon Society around Thanksgiving.

Now we're getting several calls a day - from all over the Red River Valley.

Van Hapka called Sunday morning at 9am to report a Snowy Owl on 190th Street and 300th Ave just south of Warren.  I drove over, and sure enough, there was big female owl sitting on a field drainage pipe.

Last Tuesday, I got a call from Wayne Moses reporting another owl near the Audubon Center, a small male, 5 poles east of the Radium turn-off on State Hwy 1 and Marshall County 36. 

There have been so many sightings in the Upper Midwest ornithologists say this could be a record - a big "irruption" -  winter.  There could be as many as hundreds of snowy owls in Minnesota and Wisconsin at this time.

Winter Snowy Owls in the Red River Valley are not unusual.  But why so many this year - and before the snowy weather?

Snowy Owls live way up north in the tundra.  Their populations are controlled by the availability of food.  When there's lots of of their favorite rodents (lemmings) up on the tundra, there's lots of food for Snowy Owls to feed their young.  More baby owls survive.  This summer was a great year for arctic rodents and for their predators - owls and hawks.

Scientists at Cornell University reported an interesting "twist" on eBird:

"...lemmings this year were at historical population highs allowing for a very successful breeding season for Arctic raptors, including Snowy Owls. The resulting population boom causes overcrowding and competition at typical wintering grounds pushing inexperienced birds farther south into the Lower 48."

Agassiz Audubon is keeping track of these birds this winter - if you see one, call the "Red River Valley Snowy Owl Hotline:"  281.745.5663 - or send us an email (AgassizAudubon@gmail.com) - with the following information:

1.  day of the week:
2.  time of day:
3.  location (from the nearest intersection - or GPS coordinates):
4.  what the bird was perched on:
5.  description of the amount of black barring:
6.  relative size of the bird:  (much bigger than a crow or about crow-size):

Photo submissions are welcome - but please don't chase the birds to get a good picture.   They're already stressed - looking for the 7-8 or more rodents they need to catch every day just to survive.  And sadly, many of them are starving.

"We received an email with a photo of a dead owl from Bette Allison of Roseau recently," said Hughes.   She was on her way to Badger when she spotted a Snowy Owl by a ditch on Hwy 89.  On her way back home, she spotted the bird again - tipped over on its side - dead.  She reported it to the DNR who later picked it up.  They told her it had not been hit by a car, it had starved to death.

Dead or alive, owls are protecting in Minnesota, so if you find an injured (or dead) bird in northwestern Minnesota, be sure to call the DNR (218) 755-2976.