Bonnie and I had a trip planned to Chippewa County today and took a side trip to see if we might see the Great Gray Owl reported yesterday along M-134 West of Hessell. We stopped and searched and drove through the area several times with no luck.
We did see several Bald Eagles in our travels today in northern Emmet County along US-31 near Levering, another perched in a tree along I-75 near the Carp River in Mackinac County and one in Chippewa County south of Pickford.
We only had one Snowy Owl on the Rudyard Loop on Hantz Rd, but it was a nearly pure white individual. Searching was difficult as the blowing snow made for near white-out conditions at times. A Rough-legged Hawk was sighted south of Pickford on M-129. We had a small flock of Pine Grosbeaks on Riverside Drive just south of 9 Mile Rd. And Bonnie spotted a Northern Shrike along I-75 near the Pine River Bridge crossing.
Other than the looks at the Snowy Owl our best views of birds today were a group of four Pine Grosbeaks feeding in ornamental crab apple bushes on Main Street in Mackinaw City. They continued to feed even though we pulled the vehicle to within about 15 feet of them.
A very cold, windy and snowy day but a few nice birds in our travels Up North.
Rick Baetsen