Yesterday was a dark gloomy day but

[reible]

It did not stop or even slow down life. Case in point was a visit to another park where there is a nesting owl. It was dark enough my camera was complaining about low light but when do I ever listen to a camera....

So here are a few shots from the visit.

Most of the time mom was resting like in this shot:

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The squirmy little ones would bring her back to the real world and she would check to see who was at the front door. The first reaction was to be a bit unhappy as you can see with the "ears" pulled slightly back in this shot:

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You can see the white fluff of a chick off to the left of her, down in the nest.


She keeps a cache of food in the nest so she began feeding the little one. Sorry can't say for sure what was for lunch. There did seem to be some rabbit fun near the entrance but that could have been there for a while. Pretty sure it wasn't skunk as there was no smell.... but they have a pretty wide taste range so things like ducks, squirrels and even smaller items are on the menu. In this case she was tearing pieces out so maybe not a mouse size animal. In this last shot you can see more of the little one:

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I have heard that there are two little ones but saw only the one. Perhaps on my next visit, or at least I can hope.

Ed

[algale]

Neat! I’ve never seen a Great Horned Owl in the wild!

[reible]

They are the second most common ones I see. I actually saw another one yesterday but it was while driving along with no where to pull off. Might have been the male as it wasn't that far away as the owl fly's but who knows.

We have one at a forest preserve near us but the area is very wooded and getting a picture is very difficult unless the owl happens near a path. I did get a few shots of it a couple years ago but nothing since. I'm guessing a nest somewhere but have not seen it yet.

Ed

[lyall]

I used to have a pair of Great Horned Owls in my back yard about 60 feet from my back door.
It was fun each year the see the little ones.

Had to be careful when the little ones started to fly. A couple years they had two little ones. When the little ones got on the ground and had to wait for their parents to pick them up and put them back in a tree. Had to stay at least 50 feet away form them or you would heard the parents make a lot of noise, the little one also make noise, too.

Had to have the tree removed when my house burnt down. They move above a mile away. I have not heard or seen them for a few years now.
Miss them.