[mou] Snowy Owl Duluth (Hermantown) and a warning

[sparky stensaas]

On Monday the 17th I saw a probable Snowy Owl fly over MN53 (just N. of Stebner Rd. in Hermantown) in the predawn darkness. It was heading towards the Federal Correctional Facility. I was on my way to the Sax-Zim CBC so didn't have time to search for it.

But I finally had a chance to look for it today (Sat. Dec 22) and found a Snowy Owl behind the Natural Resources Research Institute (intersection of MN 53 and Airport Road) at dusk/dark (5pm). It flew to a nearby power pole and continued hunting eventually flying off toward the Correctional Facility or Cirrus Designs...or the airport?? This Airport Road loops back to MN53 at Stebner Road.

It is a heavily marked bird with much dark banding on the tail...Most definitely a female.

WARNING: This is not a good place to be stopping and scanning for birds. I was nearly arrested in this area a few years ago when photographing a male Snowy between the prison and the airport. Three prison security trucks, an Airport Authority vehicle, the Hermantown K-9 unit and a St. Louis County Sheriff converged on me. Thank goodness for digital cameras as I was able to show them that I was really photographing owls and not other "sensitive targets." I was told to go shoot owls elsewhere as "there are owls all over the place."

Sparky Stensaas
2515 Garthus Road
Wrenshall, MN 55797
218.341.3350 cell
sparkystensaas at hotmail.com

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