[mou] Great Gray Owl sightings

[Gwen L Schagrin]

January 28, 2005, Hwy 23 at Kerrick MN Pine County (just south of Los
Lobos bar). 2 great grays in flight above road, tangle claws and one flies off,
 2nd flies to tree on W. side of road. Owl sits there while snowmobiler
drives right under. Allows our approach with camera and binocs but when
train comes on east side of road, flies off tree west into wooded area.
Area where owl was perched is right by houses, bar; observed for 10
minutes. Do have photo (not attached). About 4 p.m., cloudy, high 20s, no
wind.

January 28, 2005, Hwy 23 Duluth, St. Louis County, around 80th street or
so. Owl perched on brushy branches, east side of road. Brushy field in
midst of populated area. Around 4:40 p.m.

(January 29: possible owl flight and vocalization at night - around 8
p.m.-to island in bay behind 24th street on Park Point, Duluth)

January 30, 2005, Park Point, Duluth, St. Louis County. Owl in trees on
lake side of the main road running down Park Point, between 23 and 24th
(cross streets). Owl sat for over 20 minutes, then flew to land on
snowcovered dune briefly then flew again towards Canal Park. 11:30 a.m.,
32 degrees, cloudy, no wind.

January 30, 2005, Carlton County, Highway 23 near intersection of 4. Owl
on east side of road flying low over open field with legs outstretched
(did not seem to catch anything), flew to high bare tree, then flew again
over field low, hovered briefly with legs outstretched and then back to
tree. Did not seem to have prey. Cloudy, about 2:45 p.m., 32 degrees, no
wind.

January 30, 2005, Pine County, Highway 23, south of Kerrick. Saw 2
different owls on trees on east side of road within about 5 miles of each
other (could these have been the same two we saw tangling in air on 28th?)
Cloudy, about 3:15 p.m., 32 degrees, no wind.

Gwen Schagrin and Dale Kennedy
schag003@umn.edu