Today was the start of my Minnesota Owls Trip (also known as “Owls and Winter Birding in the Boreal Forest of Minnesota”). I’m here for the week!

I randomly saw an OWLS field trip (through Birding Ecotours) at the bottom of a Golden Gate Bird Alliance newsletter that I happened to actually scan through to the bottom. It mentioned that a 2nd trip for this was added because the first sold out. Which also caught my eye!

Took me a bit to clear it with work (and figure out extra days to work to get the time off), but I signed up. My first birding group tour (not just with friends and led by Bob Toleno and Juli Chamberlin). And, of course it was for OWLS.

It is absolutely the worst time for me to be away right now. Work is nuts. SO MANY Fungus February programs/events coming up. We got engaged just before the new year (!), and Brian and I are neckandshouldersdeep in Controversary Wedding intel gathering. It’s A LOT. And, I’m on the verge of starting to go through my parents’ house to see what I want to keep and to then prep it to be sold this year. It will be A LOT.

But, I’m here. Impulse Trip. That I honestly might really need amidst all the personal and professional whatnots swirling around me lately. And the first day was an AMAZING START.

After our group of four (two of which are ALSO from the Bay Area!) had all arrived, our tour guide took us all out to the airport. That’s right. We looked for Snowy Owls, of which like to overwinter at the airport because the wide blankets of snow look like their tundra home! We learned from our guide that the females and juveniles fly down for the winter, as males are better hunters and can stay up north to feed themselves through the much thicker snow.

Didn’t see any, so we moved on and stopped at the airport dog park. That’s right. Where THREE Long-eared Owls were roosting in the same tree!! LIFE OWL. They were all dozing and completely uninterested in the dogs and their owners below them, doing their thing. One was by itself, and two were almost side by side. AW. If only I was able to get a good angle to show them both well. Ah, so it goes.

Too funny that one of them actually stared right at me after I started taking photos of it, which I didn’t learn until I got back to the hotel and looked through them close up. Love when that happens. Really wished I’d gotten that one in focus, OF COURSE.

Next up was Roberts Bird Sanctuary, where we searched for and luckily saw (thanks to a local birder out there at the same time that found it) a sleeping and red morphed and ADORABLE Eastern Screech Owl. It was tucked into a small crevice and didn’t mind me squealing at all. LIFE OWL.

Now, I actually have seen an Eastern Screech Owl (gray dorsal color) before, but it was at the Raptor Center in Jackson Hole, Wyoming because it was injured. It just hung out in a corner up on a small shelf in the Visitor Center/Office. Adorbs. But doesn’t count as a life bird. At least, not for me.

And while I so wished we had stayed a bit longer at both owl spots, it was likely for the best given they were just sleeping. But I could’ve stayed for much longer, even in the cold. Just watching them sleep.

We then headed to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, where there were a number of birds incredibly happy to take turns sharing bird feeders behind the building there. No life birds, but some gorgeous ones that aren’t in the Bay Area. Like the Red-bellied Woodpecker and Northern Cardinal. Plus a cuteasbuttons American Red Squirrel that patiently waited for an Eastern Gray Squirrel to be done under the bird feeders before BOUNDING over there.

Next stop was Fort Snelling State Park, where a good sized group of Trumpeter Swans were hanging out in the distance. And a juvenile Bald Eagle (maybe first for me, I think?) was perched high up overlooking it all.

But in scanning the lake there, I noticed something moving across the frozen lake. A COYOTE! Just trotting along its way, heading past the picnic tables and then out of view. Coyote. Aw, yeah.

Last stop was one more try at the airport’s Snowy Owls. It was seen two days prior. But we didn’t end up finding it. However, there will be more attempts later…

Tomorrow, we head up north to Duluth. Where the Sax-Zim Bog is and who knows what else! More chances of more OWLS and other possible life birds. It is clear that I am not a real birder amongst this group. They all do birding tours/trips. But they are all nice and friendly. And our guide is great and has a fun sense of humor.

I can’t believe the first day already gave me TWO Life Owls. Trying to lower my expectations going forward. Though, this week’s weather is insanely better than last week’s (when the prior group did their tour). So, we shall see. But with today’s treasures, it’s already a fantastic week!!