This time of year Eagles tend to gather pre-migration before many will be flying farther South.
Could very well be a pair perhaps…bird on the left appears larger which makes me think it’s the female.
During this time of year they tend to tolerate each other…with no territorial interaction between pairs.
Unfortunately due to weather conditions I was only able to make one trip up North along Lake Winnipeg.
C’est la vie…there’s always next year.
With the recent snow that has blanketed Manitoba thoughts of the Great White Owls from the North has been on my mind…hopefully getting out soon.
They begin to show up anything from mid-October onwards…hanging around till mid to late March.
During the summer they nest in the Arctic Tundra…with the female laying anywhere from 3-10 eggs.
The number of eggs laid depends on the Lemming population…which is their main food source.
The higher the Lemming population the more eggs laid and hatched…meaning more owls showing up in Southern Manitoba.
Observations from years gone by…I believe the young owls are unfamiliar with poles, posts and trees and when first arriving some are seen along a roadway or in a field…perhaps reminding them of the Tundra.
It doesn’t take them long to figure out that poles make for a good vantage point to hunt from.
Anyway…that’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.
As previously mentioned in the last communication…keeping an eye on the weather was important. For those of you who don’t live in Winnipeg/Manitoba…we’ve been hit with I think both a Colorado Low & a Alberta Clipper at the same time over the last 24 hours.
We now have Winter Wonderland here…welcome to Winterpeg.
Anyway…Tuesday had been the Eagle Trip North…with ideal conditions.
Frist Eagle encounter was a few kilometers North of Gimli. Eagles are scavengers by nature…finding two along with Crows and Ravens picking over some recent road kill along the highway isn’t uncommon.
Perhaps this was a sign of good things to come as we traveled farther North up to Lake Winnipeg.
I think with this snowfall the window is now closed for any more trips North for Eagles…just sayin !