We did a UP weekend with Barb and Joanna, scouring the area for northern species and eating in places with animal parts hanging on the wall. Didn’t do too bad, food- or species-wise.
Driving up Friday night we stopped at Big Buck brewery in Gaylord. It was too dark to take a picture of the giant inflatable beer bottle they have out front. The beer was good, the menu was the expected brew pub fare, and the décor can probably be guessed. Saturday lunch in Sault Ste. Marie was at that perennial UP winter birding trip favorite, Antlers. This place has about the oddest assortment of dead things you will find together. And a collection of antique steam whistles that they fired off while we were there. Sounded like quitting time in a steel mill.
The antlers chandelier in Antlers.
Dead stuff.
More dead stuff.
Birding was good. Got an assortment of species that we aren’t likely to get down here. The highlight for me was five snowy owls. Handsome birds, no other way to put it. We also got a goshawk, Northern shrike, rough-legged hawk, pine grosbeaks, raven, sharp-tailed grouse, redpoll, pileated woodpecker, and hairy woodpecker. Puts me at 79 species and Lise at 78. We drove 700 miles, the equivalent of driving back to Delaware. About a species for every 70 miles of the trip. Our little contribution to carbon loading in the atmosphere. Blame the next tornado on us.
Snowy owl.
Same owl.
Pine grosbeak feeding.
More feeding.
Still more eating.
We missed a few target species like gray jay, hoary redpoll, pine siskins, Bohemian waxwings, evening grosbeak, and crossbills. Today we got a report from Lansing birders that got gray jay and hoary redpoll at the exact same place where we looked. We must not be living right. Some kind of birding pariahs I guess.
Ed's and Lise's Biggish Years 