Hawk Owls

An adult Hawk Owl Surnia ulula watches over its shoulder

There is an abundance of voles, Grey-sided Voles Myodes rufocanus in northern Norway this spring, so there are lots of raptors and owls breeding. Two species I have been seeing are Rough-legged Buzzards Buteo lagopus and Hawk Owls, both well-known specialist feeders on small rodents. The buzzards hunt mostly over the high open tundra and the owls in and around the woodland, but this family of owls were hunting around the edge of a small hamlet set in birch forest.

The owl brood were perched around this building; in the trees, scrub and wooden structures 

The adult female owl was perched high above her brood. She was up on wires, while her chicks were perched in birch scrub, one on the roof of a hut and one on the frame of a lavvu. These owls hunt by daylight, which in such a place above the arctic circle is no problem. There is abundant food and 24 hours of daylight to hunt. So the owls have large broods. There were four chicks at least in this brood, but there could have been perhaps seven or more.

An adult owl sits atop the frame of a lavvu, a Sami tent-type temporary dwelling

While the female was guarding the chicks, the male was away hunting, returning frequently with voles for the chicks. I have been seeing a few voles per day while walking through the local forests, but these owls were catching several per day, how many did they see per day. They are such efficient hunters, they probably saw many more than they caught, looking down from their high hunting perches.

A close up of the same bird

I have seen hawk owls before, mostly at a distance and in thick extensive forest, so it was a special experience to stand amongst them as they carried on their business regardless of my presence. And they really are such wonderful birds.

An adult bird brings a vole to feed a chick

Hawk owls can be aggressive in defense of their chicks, but fortunately these birds were not. They can attack humans around the head and draw blood with their very, very sharp talons. Another reason to admire them. And respect them.

One of the fledgling owl chicks

While watching them, I thought how easy it was to approach the chicks without causing them to fly away. Meanwhile, I stayed constantly aware that the adults were vigilant and could swoop at me if they wanted to. To them, I was easy to approach and cause to flee. And I would have done so if they had.

A wink that only owls can do so well

Last Day

 Redpoll on nest in willow shrub

Today was the last day of our trip to north Norway. We rounded it off with catching and ringing another Broad-Billed Sandpiper and a brood of Wood Sandpiper chicks.

But I thought I should mention the passerines which nest here in the arctic. Here are a couple of shots of a Redpoll on her nest set in a low willow bush. The nest is a fine mesh of willow down and grasses, lined with a thick wad of Willow Grouse feathers - the white ones moulted by the grouse as they turn from white to brown plumage in spring. A wonderfully warm nest for these high latitudes.

  Redpoll nest and eggs

And as a last parting shot here is a fledgling Hawk Owl, one of a brood of four which we came across today.





Hawk Owls

 Adult Hawk Owl

It was raining for a couple of days here in North Norway, so we went for a drive down to Finland for a walk in the pinewoods. The birds were a bit quiet due to the rain, it was only a light drizzle, but it was good to see and hear Waxwings, Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers. And it especially good to come across a pair of Siberian Jays, and a fledged brood of Hawk Owls. There were at least five large fledglings, and the adults were unconcerned about us as they brought in voles, grey-sided, while we were there.

One of the larger owlets