Bill Marchel: Winged wonders of winter

BRAINERD — Last week, while I was photographing a flock of colorful Bohemian waxwings as they fed on crab apples, a northern shrike -- a robin-sized bird of prey -- dive-bombed the waxwings, intent on a meal.

The shrike flew low and fast directly over my head as it rocketed into the flock. With a thunder of wing beats the waxwings headed for the heavens in a close-knit flock, a trait commonly used by songbirds to escape raptors. The shrike followed from below but eventually gave up as the tight wad of fifty or so waxwings circled several hundred feet into the air.

On a number of occasions I have witnessed shrikes capture songbirds as large as house sparrows, but never have I seen one successfully nab a waxwing-sized bird, which are roughly two-thirds the size of the shrike.

Winter viewing

Bohemian waxwings and northern shrikes are just two feathered winter visitors to Minnesota that are commonly "chased" by cold-weather birders. This winter Bohemian waxwings are being reported in huge numbers in a variety of locations in northern and central Minnesota. The classy-looking birds with black masks and a pointed crown of feathers atop their heads are most easily found by monitoring fruit trees, especially crab apple and mountain ash.

Northern shrikes are normally solitary birds. They, like the waxwings, feature a black mask. But the similarities end there. Shrikes are basically gray in color and, well, they kill for a living. Mice, voles and other birds comprise most of their prey. Unlike hawks and falcons, shrikes lack powerful feet and sharp talons. They kill using their hooked beaks. Shrikes are also known for impaling their prey on a thorn, stick or barbed wire fence, much like a butcher hangs a slab of meat. Thus shrikes are frequently called the "butcher bird." Often a shrike kills more than it can eat and will cache its prey by hanging it. On lean days it feeds from its larder.

Shrikes are not common, but a perceptive birder traveling rural roads during winter can spot several in a day because of the bird's habit of hunting in open country. Typically northern shrikes search for lunch from obvious perches such as power lines or other prominent locations. They sometimes hover in the air, watching for a meal on the ground. Look for shrikes around marshy lowlands such as willow and alder swamps.

So far this snowy season, winter finches such as pine grosbeaks, common redpolls and white-winged crossbills have been notable by their absence, although sporadic sightings have been reported. Winter finches migrate to Minnesota in numbers that vary year to year, likely according to the availability of food in Canada. These birds are seed eaters and thrive primarily on the seeds of spruce and ash trees. During "good" winters, finches are attracted to backyard bird feeders, much to the delight of homeowners with an eye toward the outdoors.

Other birds to see

Other avian species sought by wintertime birders are snow buntings, boreal chickadees, black-backed woodpeckers and American three-toed woodpeckers.

Snow buntings have been fairly easy to find this winter. Look for flocks of the white and brown sparrow-sized birds on the shoulders of roads in open country. Also, fallow fields overgrown with weeds such as pigweed, lambs-quarters and ragweed will almost always attract snow buntings as well as common redpolls.

Northern owls are perhaps the main attraction for the traveling winter birder. The lightly populated bog country between Aitkin and Duluth is a favorite destination for birders from all across the nation. They come to look primarily for the noble great gray owls, but northern hawk owls and boreal owls also attract attention.

This winter has not been the best for spotting northern owls. Typically though, more owls are found as winter progresses. Owl prowlers were spoiled during the winter of 2004-05 when owls invaded Minnesota in unprecedented numbers. A southward movement of northern owls is called an "irruption" by biologists. The owls -- mostly great gray owls and northern hawk owls -- had traveled south from their typical ranges in central and northern Canada, most likely because of an apparent shortage of prey, particularly voles. There were thousands of great gray owls in the state, and hundreds of northern hawk owls.

Birding basics

If you are a beginning birder, tag along with a veteran. Ask the experts about equipment, hotspots and bird habits. Most are very willing to share their knowledge.

Carry with you a good pair of binoculars, a bird identification book and a journal for note taking because if you wait until returning home you might forget important observations.

Pay attention to bird behavior. A group of scolding blue jays might direct you to an owl or other bird of prey, the object of the jays' attention. One of the best ways to locate and then identify birds is to listen for their songs. Bird call CD's are available to help you.

Subscribe to several birding magazines, or buy single issues locally. The Internet contains a wealth of birding information, too.

Even though the days are getting longer the coldest period of the year is yet to come. Observing the antics of our feathered friends can shorten the long winter.

Bill Marchel is an outdoors photographer and columnist. He lives near Brainerd.