I am intimately familiar with failure. Last night I had another meeting with that nemesis, then this morning, yet again. This evening made three strikeouts within a single 24-hour period. Never have I enjoyed it so much. The adventure started when my wife told me that a Northern Hawk-owl was seen Friday eve about two miles north of Baldwin. Just imagine it, a Northern Hawk-owl, in Burleigh County!

The Northern Hawk-owl lives in the boreal forests of the Northern hemisphere. As such, you can see it in Scandinavia, Siberia, Alaska, and Canada, but its nesting range barely extends into the lower 48. When Arctic Lemming populations crash, dozens, or even hundreds of hawk-owls cross the 49th parallel. On very rare occasions, some even stray into North Dakota. Since territorial days, the species has been recorded here about 25 times, though never in what is now Burleigh County.

This is a way-cool bird. It has the whole owl charisma thing going for it, including the big head, piercing eyes, and disdainful attitude. Added to that, however, is its fighter-pilot mentality. The hawk-owl’s life seemingly has two gears: searching and attacking. While other owls hide during daylight to avoid being mobbed, the hawk-owl welcomes the sun, perching atop conifer trees to maximize its scanning effectiveness. This habit has given rise to its nickname “day owl.”

Read the rest of the Dan's column in our May issue...