Ely area bird report

[Lee Borgersen]

by Bob Cary....Ely Echo


Where the Shagawa River makes its bends into Winton, the ice is gone, the sun is shining on the riffles and a half dozen black and white mergansers cruise the shallows looking for minnows. Some of the first waterfowl arriving, they are always a happy indication that spring is here no matter if the shore is still snowbound and the lakes are cased in ice. Loons will be along next although they are a lot more careful to make sure the open water provides extensive runways for takeoffs and landings.

And the crows are back. Didn?t see any but sure heard them cawing off in the distance. They are always early arrivals and early nesters, making it possible for their offspring to get plenty of early spring goodies to eat.

Owls and hawks are already fixing up their nests. Once we had a pair of great horned owls that built a huge nest on the back of our property and while quite furtive in their activities, the adults provided some interesting observations though our field glasses.

One day, when we were sure there were fledgling in the nest, we crept over for a look. Sure enough, high above, three scrawny, bug-eyed little owls peered back. But that wasn?t what interested us most.

At the foot of the tree, below the big nest were a couple dozen pairs of crow?s feet, small ones from crow fledglings. The adult owls were apparently preying heavily on newly-hatched crows. It?s a tough world out there.