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1/100 f/4.2 82.8 mm ISO 800

Panasonic DMC-FZ18

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nature
Glaucidium gnoma
Northern Pygmy-owl
Bebo Grove
Fish Creek Park
annkelliott
Panasonic DMC-FZ18
Calgary
Panasonic FZ18
FZ18
Owl
Alberta
Bird of prey
Canada
bird
P1020195 FZ18


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Pygmy-owl false eyes

Pygmy-owl false eyes
I went back to Bebo Grove, Fish Creek Park, yesterday afternoon. Found the rare Black-backed Woodpecker again immediately (also again today). Then I walked back towards the parking lot to photograph a group of five Mule Deer. Noticed two gentlemen with their enormous lenses focussed on "something". They said they had found a tiny Northern Pygmy-owl. These owls are rare to uncommon year-round in Alberta. Think I've only ever seen one twice in the city and once in the mountains. They can be mobbed by little songbirds and the owls have a pair of "false eyes" on the back of their head to help intimidate these songbirds, such as Chickadees. Though Pygmy-owls are small, they are fierce and often catch birds that outweigh themselves. They usually feed at night, but we did see this little guy swoop a few times this afternoon. They are such cute little owls to look at! Only 18 cm long and about the size of a person's fist or a popcan. I'm surprised that any of my photos came out as the sky was clouding over and I was looking into the trees. Extremely "noisy" shots and well cropped, but I'm still so happy to have them!

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