In the morning I took a long drive up CR 2 from Two Harbors, to Highway1, to FR 424 (Tomahawk Trail) to Babbitt, Embarrass, Aurora, Palo, and back to Duluth and Two Harbors. This evening Sharon Lind, Lisa Lind and I went from Two Harbors to Beaver Bay on MN 61, up CR 4, and back west on CR 3 to Two Harbors. Throughout the day we found 32 Great Gray Owls (27 "new" ones) and 2 Northern Hawk-Owls (both new).
I was surprised to see only one Great Gray Owl north and east of Aurora and Babbitt, and none along Highway 2 (a traditional road to find Great Grays in non-invasion years) between CR 14 and Highway 1. This evening there was a high concentration along busy MN 61 between Castle Danger and Beaver Bay (3 birds in one spot), and several inland between Duluth and Two Harbors mid-day. Northern Hawk-Owl locations: St. Louis Lane 49, 0.6 mi S of TR 6311 St. Louis MN 61, 0.4 mi E of CR 258 (Berquist Rd) Great Gray Owl locations: Lake CR 2 (4.0 mi N of MN 61) at Twp Rd 23 (Grimmer Rd) Lake CR 2 (0.9 mi N of CR 24 (E. Alger Rd)) (previously reported) Lake CR 2 jct CR 14 St. Louis CR 21 (1.0 mi E of CR 26) ~2 mi N of Embarrass St. Louis CR 100, 2.0 mi S of CR 110 (Aurora) St. Louis CR 100, 3.0 mi S of CR 110 (Aurora) St. Louis CR 99, 0.3 mi N of CR 343 St. Louis CR 4, 0.3 mi N of CR 547 (Brimson Rd) St. Louis CR 4, 1.1 mi N of CR 49 (3 Lakes Rd) St. Louis CR 44 (Normanna Rd) 0.1 mi E of CR 675 (Arnold Rd) (previously reported) St. Louis CR 44 (Normanna Rd) 0.8 mi E of CR 675 (Arnold Rd) (previously reported) St. Louis CR 43 (Lismore Rd) 0.4mi W of CR 50 (Ryan Rd) St. Louis CR 258 (Berquist Rd) 0.4 mi S of CR 43 (Lismore Rd) St. Louis CR 258 (Berquist Rd) 0.4 mi N of MN 61 Lake MN 61, 0.2 mi W of CR 106 (W. Castle Danger Rd) Lake MN 61, 0.3 mi W of Gooseberry S.P. entrance - 2 birds Lake MN 61, 1.1 mi N of Gooseberry River - 2 birds Lake MN 61, 1.6 mi S of Split Rock Lighthouse S.P. entrance - 3 birds (1 previously reported) Lake MN 61, 0.2 mi E of Split Rock Lighthouse S.P. entrance Lake CR 3, 4.1 mi W of CR 4 (0.4 mi E of Silver Bay airport)- 2 birds Lake CR 3, 1.3 mi W of Silver Bay airport road Lake CR 3 jct Joshua Rd (1.6 mi W of Silver Bay airport) Lake Joshua Rd, 0.5 mi S of CR 3 Lake CR 3, 1.2 mi W of Joshua Rd Lake CR 3, 2.4 mi E of CR 24 (E. Alger Rd) Lake CR 3 jct CR 24 (E. Alger Rd) Lake CR 3, 0.4 mi S of CR 24 (E. Alger Rd) Jim Lind Two Harbors
