Uploads from dcstep, tagged greathornedowl, with geodata

Crow makes owlets very uncomfortable.

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sat, 04 May 2013 10:54:20 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

You can see in their eyes that the owlets are very scared of the group of six or eight magpies and crows that were harassing them when I drove up. The crows were even pecking the owlets on the head.

Flying owlet

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sat, 04 May 2013 10:55:07 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

The can fly a few feet at a time now. The flight feathers are well developed, but not all the way there yet.

One of these siblings started branching today and the other started two-days ago.

Owlet profile.

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sat, 04 May 2013 10:54:47 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

Owlets watching a dog pass by.

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sat, 04 May 2013 10:56:24 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

The branched within a couple of days of each other and one just branched today.

Owlets under snow.

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:13:14 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

I haven't seen these guys mom or dad for about six days now. The fact that they're still alive makes me think that they're being fed, but they've endured some rough weather.

There are two. Here we're on their left side. The wind is blowing from the right and they have their backs to it. If you look real hard you might see a bit of eye peaking out from the nearest one along with a bit of beak tip.

Owlets under snow

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:13:33 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

I haven't seen these guys mom or dad for about six days now. The fact that they're still alive makes me think that they're being fed, but they've endured some rough weather.

There are two, with their backs to us and the wind here. I was wondering if they were alive, then saw a slight move from one.

Wind blown great horned owl

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:24:00 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

This is from a couple of weeks ago, but it's snowing again today, so I thought I'd show it.

Unfortunately, this owl or its mate was found dead. I don't know any details. Last that I looked, the owlets were still alive in the nest, so I'm hoping that the mate is alive and feeding them at night. Sunday, when I'm back in town, I'll check to see if they're still alive.

Momma owl with two owlets

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 20:28:09 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

It was overcast most of today, but it was in the 60s temp wise, so mom had her new owlets uncovered for all to see.

BTW, this adult owl (the female, I think) was killed a week or two later. I'm guessing that she was hit by a car on the nearby dam road. The other adult is feeding the owlets and they're nearing the point that they'll branch. Hopefully they'll survive without Mom's guidance.

Great Horned Owl Sits on Nest

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:11:36 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

There are owlets there, but they're not sticking their heads up yet.

Little Buddah

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:23:44 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

Great horned owl on an open perch

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:43:09 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

Not in the thick of a tree for a change.

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Little one in the sun

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:24:34 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

This is tthe smallest of three owlets from the same nest. It probably got less to eat and grew slower. It was the last to start branching and will be last to finally fledge.

This shot was from Sunday evening. I went back this evening and couldn't find any owlets or mom or dad, so I guess they're gone.

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I see you...

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:25:40 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

This little guy flew down from a nice safe limb into the tall grass.

There's only a crop to make this square, so the details are incredible in Full Screen, Light Box view.

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Now I lay me down to sleep...

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sat, 12 May 2012 19:21:06 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

After days standing perched on limbs, the ole dogs must get really tire. Here an owlet lays down to take a load off.

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From tree to grass (Explore #370 05-10-2012)

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:29:46 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

This owlet flew down to the ground and couldn't get back up. (I'm sure that it climbed a tree a little later, assuming a coyote didn't come across it).

This was taken from really close range, so the Large view in the Light Box is very detailed.

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Branching owlet

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sat, 05 May 2012 13:54:41 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

Here's another look at my branching Great Horned Owl owlet. I'm in NYC at a national conference now, so I'll have four days without checking on the owlets. I suspect that they'll be gone before I can get back out there Thursday.

I got real close, so there's tons of detail in the Large size in the Light Box view.

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Finally, a flight shot.

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:29:57 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

I promise that the owl shots will end soon. I know this because the owlets will fledge and I will only catch a fleeting glimpse of an owl here and there until next April

It's very hard to shoot owls in flight because they fly in close quarters in thick woods. This was a lucky "grab" and it's not really sharp, but still worth viewing in the Large size if you like owls.

Me and a coopers hawk were chasing the owl. The coopers has a nest around 100-ft away. It really doesn't want to catch the owl, just get it to move away, which it won't until the owlets fledge. The cooper's nest is just starting.

It's interesting, the owls and coopers both eat other birds. I saw the coopers chasing a pheasant yesterday and I found pheasant and mallard duck remains under the owl's nest, along with some mammal bits.

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The perch shows her talons well

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:39:38 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

I'd been hunting for her near her nest for about 45-minutes when I met the Rosens looking at the nest and trying to get a good view of the owlets. I showed them the area where I thought we might see her and we walked out and back to no avail and then one of them spotted her. We'd walked right by her before. Six-eyes are better than two.

I love the way this perch shows her profile and a clear view of her powerful talons.

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Mom sitting on owlets after feeding, giving me the eye

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:01:25 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

I drove up right as this female great horned owl finished feeding her three owlets ring-necked pheasant cock.

Yesterday afternoon I saw her intensely eyeing pheasant in a nearby meadow, but she went back to sleep and never went after one, ruining my chance to get the super "great horned owl grabs pheasant shot". Oh well...

Yacking up a bone... or something undigested.

nobody@flickr.com (dcstep) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:14:36 -0700

dcstep posted a photo:

This is right after the matter of fact yack. I like the way she's eyeing me and the eye has caught the light and her feathers are roughed up a bit.

Almost no crop here, so this one is worth a look at in Large or even Original.

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