Peregrine Falcon talons
Ferruginous Hawk
Osprey on the hunt
A blast from the past
Long-eared Owl
Merlin removing dragonfly's wings
A bewildering world for a fallen owlet
First day of fledging
Great Horned Owl - posting just for the record
Happy Thanksgiving to all Americans, everywhere!
A distant Northern Pygmy-owl
A watchful eye
Great Horned Owl male
Time for an afternoon nap
Peekaboo - whooo are yooo?
Shooting in the rain
With a twinkle in its eye
Harris's Hawk
Snowy Owl harassed by Snow Buntings
Ever watchful
That majestic look
Barn Owl
Poor quality, but of interest
Yesterday's treat
A welcome sight on a Christmas Bird Count
'Barn' Owl, alias Great Horned Owl
Same tiny Northern Pygmy-owl
Way, way up
Turkey Vulture preening
Snowy Owl in rehab
Northern Pygmy-owl
Continuing the hunt
Ferocious hunter, but looking cute
Great Horned Owl
Great Gray Owl in early morning sunlight
Winter on the prairies
Sleepy Great Horned Owl
Better than nothing - this is NOT my main photo!
The size of a popcan
Yesterday's treat
Dark-eyed beauty
Northern Hawk Owl from 2016
Two of a family of three
Northern Hawk Owl
Meadow Vole for a tasty snack
Atop a utility pole
A backward glance
Northern Hawk Owl
Snowy Owl along the fenceline
Northern Hawk Owl
Winner with its prey
Quietly watching, always alert
Great Gray Owl from 2013
Peacefully waiting
Such a beautiful owl
Perch with a good view
Burrowing Owl
Eyes fixed on supper
Great Gray Owl, focused
Northern Hawk Owl
Meadow Vole for a late lunch
Always glad to see a Snowy
Northern Pygmy-owl
A gleam in the eye
Rough-legged Hawk on a hay bale
Sweet little thing
Up close and personal with a Turkey Vulture
Swainson's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel - or is it a Merlin?
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk
Gotta love those Golden Eagle feathers
Regal
Merlin eating a dragonfly
Osprey - stuffed and on display
Such a handsome bird
Merlin on the hunt
Merlin
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk / Buteo jamaicensis
Barn Owl / Tyto alba
Look into my eyes
Eye contact
Merlin
Long-eared Owl
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk portrait
Bald Eagle portrait
Turkey Vulture
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk
Predator with prey
Swainson's Hawk female, dark-phase
Swainson's Hawk male, light phase
Swainson's Hawk on an early morning hunt
Wind-blown Osprey
Osprey take-off
Osprey family in the city
Juvenile Swainson's Hawk
Great Gray Owl on a rainy day
Swainson's Hawk in flight
Swainson's Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Is this what I think it is? Yes, a Ferruginous Ha…
Hawk in Fish Creek Park - juvenile Northern Goshaw…
Hope he's one of the lucky ones
Great Gray Owl in late-morning sun
My first Bald Eagle on a fence post
Way down the fence line
Great Horned Owl owlet, Ellis Bird Farm
I'm baaack ...
Made my day : )
Great Gray Owl in a field of Dandelions
Baby fluff
One of yesterday's two Great Gray Owls
On the fence
Successful hunting
One of a pair
First day out in the big, wide world
Busy parent
The art of preening for a young owl
Watching closely
Always a good mother
Grainy but cute
An over-the-shoulder glance
Rare Leucistic Merlin in different light
Great Gray Owl, side profile
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Waiting for me
A short while after taking photos of this owl on 8 June 2016, I learned that a dead Great Gray Owl had been found in this general area. I really hope it was not the magnificent bird in this photo or the other Great Gray Owl I saw and photographed not too far away. I don't know if the owl had been hit by a car, or not. Always sad to hear this kind of news.
Had to smile while I was uploading this photo, thinking of what happened while I was taking photos of a Snipe on this day. Occasionally, when I'm along one of the roads SW of the city, friend Pam also happens to come along. So, on 8 June 2016, I had pulled over to take a few photos of a beautiful Wilson's Snipe that was perched on a fence post, when I was suddenly aware of a car pulling up alongside of me - and Pam was who I thought of straight away. However, when I turned to look, I found myself looking into the face of a Police Officer sitting in his Police car!!! Almost always, when I pull over, I turn on my hazard blinkers, or at the very least, the indicator. Didn't that time, so I was feeling very guilty. However, the Police Officer hadn't stopped for that reason. He just wanted to check that all was OK. He asked what I was photographing and I pointed out the bird. He said he had wondered if maybe I had seen a bear on the distant hillside (I wish!). Then he apologized for making the bird fly just before he drove off, with a friendly "Take Care" : ) I almost decided to leave for home, but then changed my mind and went in search of (hopefully) an owl. Not a good feeling, though, each time I pulled over, lol!
The feel of goose bumps and half-numbed skin was the most wonderful feeling that day, when I couldn't bear being inside my place one more day. It feels like an oven each summer, but this year, with the crazy weather we have been having, the heat has already been too much. I had already stayed home for three days in a row, as the two day trips at the weekend had totally knocked me out. This day, though, I couldn't take the indoor heat any longer, and so I took a drive SW of the city. By the time I got back home, I felt cold, which was so good. Travelled all my usual roads and back roads, seeing all the usual things, including Wilson's Snipe, Red-winged Blackbirds and Mountain Bluebirds.
When I felt it was time to start on my homeward journey, I reckoned I might as well check one more time for a Great Gray Owl. I almost drove past the one in this photo, as it was on the far side of the road when I first spotted it and, from a distance, just blended in with the light and shadows of the forest. I took a few quick shots, then drove down the road and turned around, hoping that the owl would still be in the same place, which thankfully it was. It eventually flew across the road and landed in a tree or two and then made its way to an open area where it continued to hunt. After a few minutes, it dove into the grass and completely disappeared from sight. I thought I must have missed seeing it fly away, but it eventually did reappear and immediately flew across the road again, with a small rodent in its beak. A quick stop on a fence post (with its back to me, sigh) and then it flew off into the trees. No matter how many times I see one of these owls and no matter how many hundreds/thousands of photos I've taken of them, each owl is just as exciting as the very first.
Having been so very fortunate to see this owl, I thought I would check one more time to see if the second owl that I saw a few days ago was anywhere in sight. Nothing - but I did watch and photograph a sweet pair of Mountain Bluebirds. Not my 'usual' pair, though I did see them briefly, earlier on my drive.
"Although the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan, it is just a ball of feathers. It preys on small mammals and has relatively small feet. Both the Great Horned and Snowy owls weigh half again as much, and have larger feet and talons. The oldest recorded Great Gray Owl was at least 18 years, 9 months old and lived in Alberta." From AllABoutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Gray_Owl/lifehistory
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Grey_Owl
Had to smile while I was uploading this photo, thinking of what happened while I was taking photos of a Snipe on this day. Occasionally, when I'm along one of the roads SW of the city, friend Pam also happens to come along. So, on 8 June 2016, I had pulled over to take a few photos of a beautiful Wilson's Snipe that was perched on a fence post, when I was suddenly aware of a car pulling up alongside of me - and Pam was who I thought of straight away. However, when I turned to look, I found myself looking into the face of a Police Officer sitting in his Police car!!! Almost always, when I pull over, I turn on my hazard blinkers, or at the very least, the indicator. Didn't that time, so I was feeling very guilty. However, the Police Officer hadn't stopped for that reason. He just wanted to check that all was OK. He asked what I was photographing and I pointed out the bird. He said he had wondered if maybe I had seen a bear on the distant hillside (I wish!). Then he apologized for making the bird fly just before he drove off, with a friendly "Take Care" : ) I almost decided to leave for home, but then changed my mind and went in search of (hopefully) an owl. Not a good feeling, though, each time I pulled over, lol!
The feel of goose bumps and half-numbed skin was the most wonderful feeling that day, when I couldn't bear being inside my place one more day. It feels like an oven each summer, but this year, with the crazy weather we have been having, the heat has already been too much. I had already stayed home for three days in a row, as the two day trips at the weekend had totally knocked me out. This day, though, I couldn't take the indoor heat any longer, and so I took a drive SW of the city. By the time I got back home, I felt cold, which was so good. Travelled all my usual roads and back roads, seeing all the usual things, including Wilson's Snipe, Red-winged Blackbirds and Mountain Bluebirds.
When I felt it was time to start on my homeward journey, I reckoned I might as well check one more time for a Great Gray Owl. I almost drove past the one in this photo, as it was on the far side of the road when I first spotted it and, from a distance, just blended in with the light and shadows of the forest. I took a few quick shots, then drove down the road and turned around, hoping that the owl would still be in the same place, which thankfully it was. It eventually flew across the road and landed in a tree or two and then made its way to an open area where it continued to hunt. After a few minutes, it dove into the grass and completely disappeared from sight. I thought I must have missed seeing it fly away, but it eventually did reappear and immediately flew across the road again, with a small rodent in its beak. A quick stop on a fence post (with its back to me, sigh) and then it flew off into the trees. No matter how many times I see one of these owls and no matter how many hundreds/thousands of photos I've taken of them, each owl is just as exciting as the very first.
Having been so very fortunate to see this owl, I thought I would check one more time to see if the second owl that I saw a few days ago was anywhere in sight. Nothing - but I did watch and photograph a sweet pair of Mountain Bluebirds. Not my 'usual' pair, though I did see them briefly, earlier on my drive.
"Although the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan, it is just a ball of feathers. It preys on small mammals and has relatively small feet. Both the Great Horned and Snowy owls weigh half again as much, and have larger feet and talons. The oldest recorded Great Gray Owl was at least 18 years, 9 months old and lived in Alberta." From AllABoutBirds.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Gray_Owl/lifehistory
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Grey_Owl
Tractacus, Claudine Gaulier-Denis, , and 2 other people have particularly liked this photo
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