Bird Activity Interesting

Very cold yesterday morning with the thermometer barely reaching zero. My hike would take me to Gate 8 knowing the road would be plowed. Sections of the road still had a light dusting of snow which revealed a variety of recent tracks. Fox, coyote, deer, moose, squirrel and rabbit were easy finds.

 Although very cold, bird activity was scattered throughout the hike. I recently added a bird appt to my phone in hopes of learning more about the birds that inhabit Quabbin. It was interesting walking along looking as well as listening. I clearly heard three birds on the hike that I could not identify.

Reaching the boat launch two mature eagles were soaring over the ice covered reservoir. Enjoying the dawn setting, I walked the shoreline north looking for coyotes on the ice.

Plenty of tracks but no activity this morning.

Getting back to the boat launch, I just started up the hill when the call of an owl broke the silence coming from a distant ridge. The crisp morning carried the call with clarity and the volume set on high. The call sounded awesome breaking the morning silence. This calling went on for nearly ten minutes. I could not confidently identify  this owl. It wasn’t the usual sound of a Great Horned or Barred owl. I am thinking maybe the call of an owl sitting on a nest. I will use my audio field guide to see if I can’t figure it out.
Jim