There is currently a northern hawk-owl in Maine. It’s a rare visitor, popping in about once every four years or so. A lot of people have seen it so far. I’m not one of them.
As an experiment, I’ve tried to avoid learning of the owl’s whereabouts. Owl invaders draw a crowd, sometimes to the detriment of the owl. I’ve seen them before, and I don’t feel the need to visit this one.
There are three northern owls that occasionally sneak into Maine: snowy owls, great gray owls, and northern hawk-owls. They’re all charismatic. When word gets out, they get lots of attention.
Northern owls hunt in daylight. What choice do they have? Many come from the land of the midnight sun, where daylight prevails around the clock.
In these remote places, owls rarely see people, so they don’t consider humans to be dangerous. To them, we’re about as threatening as a herd of caribou.
As a result, northern owls can be easy to see and photograph. That’s a blessing. And a curse.
A few people hanging around may not bother the owl much, but a whole crowd can cause problems. Crowds can drive away an owl’s dinner. A distracted owl can fly into traffic. It’s happened.
Crowds also overwhelm neighborhoods, sometimes disrespecting private property and causing parking problems.
In the old days, before email, texts and social media, it might take a while for owl news to spread.
I saw my first northern hawk-owl on Kennebec Road in Newburgh on Feb. 23, 1997. I was tipped off by a friend. Nobody else was there to see it.
Nowadays, word gets out quickly, and crowds form fast.
Birders have access to many communication tools these days. Among them, there is a national alert system through eBird, run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Maine Audubon runs a statewide rare bird alert listserv. And the Maine Birds Facebook page is a private group with more than 35,000 members.
These and other organizations take pains to avoid harm to wandering owls.
Reports from eBird do not reveal the location of exotic owls, nor do reports from Maine Audubon.
The Maine Birds Facebook group bans mention of these owls. Moderators are standing by to make sure the rules are followed.
Nonetheless, word gets out. I tried to remain ignorant of the northern hawk-owl’s location, but I learned of it anyway through social media. My attempt to stay uninformed failed.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not discouraging anyone from visiting these sexy birds. They are truly thrilling.
In fact, I saw a northern hawk-owl exactly 11 months ago, and I traveled all the way to northern Minnesota to get it.
Sax-Zim Bog is north of Duluth. It’s long been a destination for wintering birds and birders, and I was ecstatic to finally knock the bog off my bucket list.
Northern hawk-owls are medium-sized owls — smaller than barred owls, larger than northern saw-whet owls. They have unusually long tails and pointed wings, which makes them look hawk-like.
They have the keen ears and nocturnal vision of an owl, but they hunt mostly in daylight.
Northern hawk-owls hunt in the style of Maine’s perch-and-pounce hawks, such as broad-winged hawks.
They typically sit in a prominent treetop, leaning forward and peering down in search of rodents. They swoop across fields and from tree to tree in a way that grabs your attention.
Northern hawk-owls nest across Canada and Alaska. They are generally non-migratory, but food shortages in winter will sometimes drive them south.
The food shortages aren’t necessarily bad news. It often means that the owls had a successful breeding season, and now there are just too many in one area.
All three northern owls have piercing yellow eyes that seem to look right through you. They make thrilling photography subjects.
I am not immune to their charms, and if a great gray owl comes within 100 miles of me, I’ll likely chase it — while maintaining a respectful distance. I’ve seen them twice before, both in Maine.
By the way, I am in awe of today’s photo, taken by Laura Zamfirescu. Today’s cameras are amazing. But even with the best equipment, people often struggle to get the exposure and shutter speed right.
Consider that such photos are taken of a moving target at a distance, likely more than 100 yards away, using a big (heavy) lens. Tripods can steady the shot for a perched bird, but they’re cumbersome to aim on a flying bird.
High five, Laura.
