In 1994, boreal owls and pileated woodpeckers simultaneously nested in different cavities on the same tree. Nearly all cavities I have located are found in older trembling aspen stands-the same stands that are susceptible to timber harvest and windfall. One cavity, located near the Gunflint Trail, has a rather impressive and diverse occupancy over the last 9 years. This year has been productive. Last year was painful.
Boreal owls continue to be located, and with few exceptions, in their regular haunts.
Although an unofficial tally, between 30 and 35 male boreal owls have been located and females observed at eight of those locations. However, surveys are not just about boreal owls. Instead, there is a cornucopia of Strigiformes and other wildlife activity during the spring. On 16 April, I surveyed the Crooked Lake Route, a 60 km swath through the north woods that extends roughly from Schroeder to the Sawbill Trail. Much to my chagrin, the failed boreal owl nest I reported last week didn't actually fail.