Invasion at Michigan Airports

[N4843W]

With the coldest winter in decades, we have a real phenomenon of the Great Snowy Owls migrating much further south than normal. I had only seen one of these in the wild, just very quickly, with my Dad when I was 10 years old ... 50 years ago! I have seen 3 at Willow Run (home base, KYIP, 8 NM from Detroit Metro) this year and they are just stunning. The first on the perimeter fence in Mid-December, and I thought I was hallucinating. This was before word got out. I stopped to take a picture and he took off before I could get it, then I called my wife all excited ... she thought I had lost it. An owl? I wish I could say I took the attached picture on the fence, but this is exactly what I saw.

These things are simply majestic. I have seen 2 more in the air since. Birders are setting up all around the airport with big cameras. But ... (there is always a but ...) they are a significant danger to aircraft. At Grand Rapids they have had so many they have been forced (?) to shoot quite a few. Now they are doing a better job trapping them and relocating. Here is the article: http://michiganradio.org/post/grand-rapids-airport-faces-unprecedented-influx-snowy-owls

 

[DKrueger]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

Scott,

A good friend took this at Troy Exec. KVLL a couple week ago. You're right I never saw one that far south growing up.

 

[gmores]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

Nice!

 

[pilotspike]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

With the coldest winter in decades, we have a real phenomenon of the Great Snowy Owls migrating much further south than normal. I had only seen one of these in the wild, just very quickly, with my Dad when I was 10 years old ... 50 years ago! I have seen 3 at Willow Run (home base, KYIP, 8 NM from Detroit Metro) this year and they are just stunning. The first on the perimeter fence in Mid-December, and I thought I was hallucinating. This was before word got out. I stopped to take a picture and he took off before I could get it, then I called my wife all excited ... she thought I had lost it. An owl? I wish I could say I took the attached picture on the fence, but this is exactly what I saw.

These things are simply majestic. I have seen 2 more in the air since. Birders are setting up all around the airport with big cameras. But ... (there is always a but ...) they are a significant danger to aircraft. At Grand Rapids they have had so many they have been forced (?) to shoot quite a few. Now they are doing a better job trapping them and relocating. Here is the article: http://michiganradio.org/post/grand-rapids-airport-faces-unprecedented-influx-snowy-owls

Uh, how did you get that little guy in your hands to take that picture? Beautiful!

 

[TylerB24]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

Great pics! My wife works for Audubon and there's been a ton of sightings pretty far south. Apparently it has to do with a decrease in their food supply (lemmings).

 

[Commander91gm]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

The extreme cold up north is having an impact on our bird population too.

 

[TylerB24]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

Tyler, I was told by a few of the bird watchers that food source is a big issue, because their species has thrived over the last few years and they are more abundant now. So sightings may become more the norm going forward. Wonder how they will handle the heat if they stick around?

Yes, their population generally follows the boom/bust cycle of the lemmings' population. Apparently the 'boom' just finished and now is in rapid decline leaving many hungry snowy owls to head south for food. As the owl population declines, the lemming population should increase, and round and round we go. The warmer climate has limited some of the booms of the lemmings, but what the overall effect is on the owls is unknown.

The owls normal hunting grounds are low grasslands/prairie which is why they're attracted to many airports.

 

[TSHEMMEN]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

Good one Joel!

 

[Sherman]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

Scott & Randy- Have seen White Owl few times on the tree farm; but was not spotted. Yes great pics!
Joel- agree with Terry! In 07 we did a timeshare exchange to Lake Havasu. Was 50 deg wind chill in 30s.
Phoenix was in 70s but was thinking maybe putting my 24'cabin cruiser there for winter. Not a good plan.
One year (92) flew to Bahamas, Treasure Cay. Water was cold, not even as warm as Miami Beach.There was avgas shortage further down chain that year.

SO still undecided about extended snowbirding.

 

[TKutchera]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

I heard about your horrible winter Joel. I hope you guys can make it throught it ok

Tim

 

[Sherman]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

Good one Tim: When its extreme cold or extreme hot, ya gotta have a sense of humour. A Good Humor (ice cream baah) helps too!

 

[N4843W]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

ON Saturday we surpassed the all-time record for snow in SE Michigan for the month ... 30-something inches, plus 3 more yesterday. Now the 2nd snowiest month here since they began recording such things. Funny ... bought a new John Deere tractor with plow in early December. Delivered on a Friday afternoon,. Began snowing that Saturday morning and has not stopped. I have plowed more this year than the previous 4 or 5 combined. But this is great for our water table in the Great Lakes. Lots of ground water and everything frozen over mean less evaporation and that is also good for lake levels. (I always take the glass-half-full approach, even when its frozen over. Was 23 last evening and the temp will drop just about 1 degree per hour for 36 hours down to -10 by 5 AM tomorrow! Fun.

 

[FS]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

bought a new John Deere tractor with plow in early December. Delivered on a Friday afternoon,. Began snowing that Saturday morning and has not stopped.

You must invite bad luck. Around here, when my friend have reported buying a new snow thrower or plow it usually doesn't snow that whole season.

 

[Flybot]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

You must invite bad luck. Around here, when my friend have reported buying a new snow thrower or plow it usually doesn't snow that whole season.

Exactly right. Here in Illinois we had a "bad" snow storm 4 years ago (3 feet) so I finally bought a snow blower... AFTER having someone plow my driveway out (so I could go buy a snow blower). This year is the first chance I've even got to use it.

Whether it's bad luck or good luck is a matter of perspective. He actually got to play with his new toy right off.

 

[N4843W]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

I say "Good Luck" for sure. I doubt the universe is just waiting around, waiting to determine if it snows based on my tractor purchase ... well, maybe. But first, my wife was doubting the need for it. (Not any longer, especially with the scads of company we had through the holidays.) Second, it IS a great toy ... plowing efficiently is an art form and I do enjoy it. The new one has 4-wheel steer ... whoa! Third, the old tractor, another good-sized 24hp John Deere, with plow and web deck pretty much destroyed, got put to pasture at the hangar, where he now does duty servicing the Green Angel. It is really something to see them "hooked up." Green & Gold with Green & Yellow. If they have children I will sell them in Green Bay. Perhaps a flying snowplow?

 

[ksandrew]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

Scott,

I do not wish to put a damper on these great posts. But.

My almost new Kubota 4740 with A/C and cab.
lift arms failed and after taking to a sorry dealer $2700.00 later was not fixed.
Took it to the next town to a good dealer and got it fixed for $800.00

Six hours of cultivating later the transmission locked up. Found out today that the HST is fried. $4800.00 for a new one, not including labor.
This tractor is just out of warranty. 1400 hours and maintained by the book.

At least with a mule you can give it a penicillin shot and put her away with some fresh hay and clean water. Tractors do not reproduce.

And I do not like owls.

As one who incubated 100,000 eggs per year, raised chicks like they were my own. Grow them for sale eating a lot of very expensive feed. Only to have an owl kill hundreds on one night.

I am a very good and experienced owl caller. I do not use a camera.

Life is a barrel of fun.

Ken

 

[N4843W]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

Well three you go ... bad karma.
p.s. shoulda bought a Deere. #1 survived 4 teenagers mowing 2 acres for years and years, and plowing can be just hell on one ... hitting cracks in the pavement at full speed, etc. After 15 years #1 is now happy it its new role.

 

[Sherman]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

So Scott, were the John Deere tractors (all over EAA Oshkosh ) the inspiration for your Green Lean Flying Macine? The 10 deg nite after slush on the roads all day in Northern Virginia rurals, did a Ken on me: abs malfunction on the Solstice, Speed Sender performance code on the Hemi Ram 4x4. Winds wicked tonite on the commute back to Maryland. Was too windyat airport to put Cowl in truck. Maybe the Pauxatauny critter will bring hope next Monday?

 

[N4843W]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

So Scott, were the John Deere tractors (all over EAA Oshkosh ) the inspiration for your Green Lean Flying Macine? The 10 deg nite after slush on the roads all day in Northern Virginia rurals, did a Ken on me: abs malfunction on the Solstice, Speed Sender performance code on the Hemi Ram 4x4. Winds wicked tonite on the commute back to Maryland. Was too windyat airport to put Cowl in truck. Maybe the Pauxatauny critter will bring hope next Monday?

Drove big ones as a kid and just always liked them better than the IH/Farmall, Case, New Holland, et al. The green ones just always seemed to start better, run better and easier to control. Then I did a bunch of projects with many of their plants in the early 80's and that cemented the deal. I have actually heard good things about Kubota, and I know they have a plant in Georgia, but still, I buy American whenever possible if I can make it make sense at all. Back in the 70's, 80's and even 90's, buying foreign made sense with so many U.S. mfg heads up their fannies. But what a turnaround the past 15-20 years. Spent Saturday at the Detroit Auto Show. It was huge and the buzz incredible. Best attendance since 2003. So many good things happening here locally it is amazing. If you take price-value into consideration, American product wins 4 times out of 5 now. The best competition they have is probably KIA.

 

[atjudge]

Re: Invasion at Michigan Airports

I'd like to go John Deere for my next sub compact tractor, but dealers will just not discount, and my Local kubota dealer will give me a great cash price. Would like to buy American (Have a one man boycott going against their cars while they are killing whales and Dolphins), but I can save almost 5 AMU's, that's not insignificant.