The Rudyard Loop
A rough-legged hawk takes flight from a fence post in the hay fields surrounding Rudyard in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
In January of 2023, the State of Michigan formerly recognized Rudyard, Michigan the snowy owl capital of Michigan. The town had unofficially made the decree four years earlier in 2019. Snowy owl capital? In Michigan?
The arctic owl spends most of their time in the arctic tundra where they breed and hunt lemmings. In the winter, some migrate south, ending up in prairies and grasslands, airports, and farmer’s fields - all areas that resemble the treeless expanse of the tundra. But the hay fields surrounding Rudyard offer the migrating owl an abundance of prey in voles, mice, and shrews, with clear sight lines and endless perching structures.
A rough-legged hawk perches on a fence post in the Rudyard area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
And it’s not only owls that show up here, as I quickly discovered roaming the snowy county roads. Bald eagles, red tailed and rough-legged hawks where all seen within the first hour. Northern finches too. The landscape had an icy aesthetic and the sun was faint, hiding behind a thin layer of upper-level clouds. The area had a weathered, pastoral charm. Crystallized snow clung to the trees while chimney smoke lingered in the cold northern air. I had discovered an image-maker’s paradise. But no owls.
In what’s called an irruption, some years have higher or lower numbers of owls that venture south. Triggered by factors like high breeding success and food pressures in the Arctic, snowy owls are known for this type of movement. After a few hours of roaming the countryside and no sign of any owls i made my way north to visit my friend in Sault Ste. Marie.
The next day I returned to the Rudyard Loop. It was overcast and the temperature had risen just above freezing. What had been a winter wonderland a day earlier was now undone. I began criss crossing the area, coming across an unusual fresh kill of a bird of prey of some kind with only the wings and legs remaining, as well as the welcoming sign to Rudyard - a giant snowy owl, which might have been my only sighting of the arctic bird.
As a wind warning for the Mackinac Bridge was forecasted for the afternoon, I needed to get back to the cottage. I decided to make one more loop when all of a sudden I saw a large white bird that from a distance might be mistaken for a seagull. I pulled over and quickly snapped a half-dozen photos before it was out of range. It was so far away I knew the quality would be poor, but it confirmed to me they were here - and that I would be back.
Addendum: I returned to the area on the 27th hoping I’d see more owls. I didn’t. I did, however, see some snow buntings for the first time.
