Showing posts with label Barred Owl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barred Owl. Show all posts
Saturday, February 15, 2025
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Saturday, February 24, 2024
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Saturday, December 25, 2021
Sunday, June 13, 2021
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
Saturday, May 16, 2020
051620 Storms to Yard Birds and Back Again
051420 Great Blue Heron
Shortly after writer was on the lake, it began raining to some degree, forcing me to believe that this would be a fast trip. The roiling clouds showed unsettled weather but it wasn't supposed to rain for an hour. Figuring that either the birds just arrived and came down or they did the night before, chances were good that there would be a few things on the lake. Not really so, other than several Snowy Egrets flying in the direction of the wind, away from the storm. Even Shorebird Jetty showed little for birds. The jetty was also very windy, beginning S-18, finally gusting to 31 mph. Batten down the hatches.
This Great Blue Heron landed upon Shorebird jetty while wind and rain were part of the general atmosphere. I observed the bird in what appeared like slow motion. Its wings were outstretched to keep if from being thrust into the forward-facing wind and it bounced as it came down. It was also at a run, rapidly slowing down to keep from going into the high water that was nearly lapping at the shores of the jetty, nearly cresting the land.
Several minutes of this and a northbound flying Great Egret made me wonder if we might not be soon heading for Kansas, but we remained safe. Needless to say, when the clouds parted, it was best to head back to base. The rain never stopped, even with the partly cloudy weather after the front went through.
051520 Least Flycatcher
It was not raining (yet), but it was warm and humid. Birding was better. Having found seven Franklin's Gulls upon the water, it was impossible to get good shots due to the darkness. A Bell's Vireo was heard north of where there was an adult last year prior to fireworks, yet it slowly made its way closer to The Cove, singing all the way. An American Redstart was briefly spotted and heard in the run of trees south of Bald Cypress Row. There were more birds there, but I was unable to hear or see any more. Swainson's Thrush was in the southern line of trees west of Bald Cypress Row in song, the tremolo effect just like the Veery and Song Thrush. The bird has a well developed syrinx, which makes its dual song similar to the double sound of a twelve string guitar. It sounds almost ethereal with the quality of reverberation. Since Swainson's had been in the area for the past two weeks, my curiosity had been piqued to hear its song, which finally happened for the first time today. It was worth waiting for. Also located was a male Common Yellowthroat and over two hundred Cedar Waxwings were heard in two hours. All they cared about was stripping mulberry bushes and trees of the ripe fruit, then they wafted away in song to seek more.
051620
Slightly cooler, mostly cloudy and a little rain opened the day at Boomer Lake. There was a high count of three Barn Swallows and six Cliff Swallows around the Lakeview Road Bridge. Three Carolina Chickadees, one parent and two immatures, were found on the north end of Heron Cove in the line of trees off the water at the bottom of the hill midway between The Cove and Shorebird Jetty, as was a Least Flycatcher. A female robin was coaxing her older immature down a Bald Cypress. There were five Spotted Sandpipers, a northbound Great Egret, a total of four Green Herons, one at The Cove and three more that may have come from Boomer Creek. Two out of the three soon returned north. Two Bell's Vireos were found, one just shy of Heron Cove and the other in the deciduous trees between the northeast jetty and Goose Island. Three male Eastern Bluebirds were hawking insects from the power lines while four or five Western Kingbirds filled the skies with boisterous activity. A conservative three dozen Cedar Waxwings were in search of breakfast all over the lake, likely many more. A male and female Orchard Oriole lay claim to separate territories, while a dozen Yellow Warblers filled the air with song, and a Turkey Vulture rode thermals alone.
051620 Immature Barred Owl
Tufted Titmouse
These above beauties were obtained through an invitation. An area resident though of writer today and wanted to share the immature Barred Owl, since I had never seen one. It was a wonderful afternoon as a result. The titmouse was a bonus, as were several other birds that I didn't photograph.
Sunday, April 5, 2020
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Oklahoma Breeding Bird Species Profile: Barred Owl
Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you aaaaall? Listen for screams and barks, too.
This is the call that one expects to hear in the deep wooded areas of the country. A Barred Owl will sit upon a perch near the trunk of a tree awaiting prey to appear in front of it on the ground. Then it silently drops upon its victim. Depending upon the season, it does basically the same thing, but the real treat is to observe it perched over water fishing. Running after small mammals or reptiles will have you cheering for the raptor, even possibly becoming amusing at the antics.
It is a somewhat easy woodland owl to be heard, but not always easy to locate. An area chicken farmer invited me to visit around dusk while he was still living near me, and he said that I would surely see this raptor. He was correct, but it moved shortly after he did. It was one that I'd been hearing for years, even as close as my neighbor's yard in an old, large oak.
Barred Owl, Light Adult
Payne County CBC, 2017
Barred Owls and Great Horned Owls are mortal enemies. They will not normally be seen in the area of one another, so if you have one, you'll not have the other, unless the Great Horned Owl wishes to dine upon a nestling.
Nearly any mature forest with an open understory should net you this solitary visitor. They will hunt small mammals, and most are nocturnal.
Barred Owl, Dark Adult
Sequoyah NWR, Vian, OK
Nesting occurs in a tree cavity or a hole in a broken limb, and occasionally even in the top of a broken snag.
They are considered an invasive species in the west, especially the northwest, where they have been providing competition for their native Northern Spotted Owl. The Northern Spotted Owl is a threatened species in the old growth coniferous forest. They will hybridize with the spotted owl, which also helps to threaten the purity of the species.
The female is larger than the male, and they have feathers over the feet and legs.
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Sunday, December 31, 2017
A Portion of Christmas Bird Count, Northwest Payne County
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Barred Owl
Hermit Thrush
Golden-crowned Kinglet
12-30-17
1050-1610/19 F (wind chill 11F)/mostly cloudy with very light snow/NNE-8
This was a most fortuitous day, even though it was extremely cold and very cloudy. When one is a
serious birder, the only thing that matters for Christmas Bird Count is that the barometric pressure be rising. Today, it was.
With this being my first cold day out and about since hand surgery, I was slightly apprehensive, but we were car birding and that literally took the chill out of my apprehension.
When we got to our destination, we encountered a very light snow, which lasted the better part of this trip, which for all intents and purposes, I considered icing on the cake. Serious birders know that certain things are a plus for birding and I knew this was going to be an incredible day. Even though we were the last to sign up for the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, our area was not terribly desirable due to lack of bodies of water, weather conditions improved it. When the barometer rises like it did, things rapidly change for the better.
Our day was excellent, not only for what we saw, but for what happened to make itself visible. These
photos happen to show what I considered good birds for me, because the better part of these, I had been unable to photograph until today. The shot of the Golden-crowned Kinglet isn't the usual quality that I hope for, but this shot took YEARS. The Hermit Thrush doesn't usually make itself visible, so this was the first photo op that it ever gave me. I had only heard it in the past. This adult Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was the first adult that I have been privy to in such prime conditions.
My companions were equally as happy. So when you have something to do when it comes to birding and the weather is not quite to your liking, you'd best get out there, because you could have missed those pictures that you have been trying to obtain for quite some time. I'm glad that I did it.
By the way, my hand did quite well.
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Lake Thunderbird, Eastland, Texas Falconry, and Lake Hefner
Red-necked Grebe
11-24-17
This was the day that my birding friend called and wanted to do something in way of birds. No matter how I feel, even after six weeks post hand surgery, I said that I wanted to go. We knew about the rare Red-eared Grebe and hoped for a sighting and a photo, if we were lucky. The closest report was at Lake Carl Blackwell, Payne County, but it was not there. We went to the second reporting sight, and there it was, at the local grebe convention. Many birders have seen it, but I never thought that I would be so lucky.
Needless to say, I could not carry my camera, nor could I use my left hand after the hand surgery. I relied on help, so that was the only way that this shot could happen. Thanks to Sylvias Serpentine, who saved my day!
Barred Owl
12-02-17
We were due for another adventure, so The Three Musketeers went to Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Vian, OK, for more action. There was plenty there, but I was not able to do anything yet, other than hit the shutter button and change ISO. At least I got this beautiful Barred Owl. My comrades managed both Ruby- and Red-crowned Kinglets, but they were too fast for me. Thanks for setting up my camera several times, dear friends.
12-07 through 12-10-17
To the hunt, to the hunt, to the hunt! This was the famous Ryan Vance memorial Hunt and what a turnout for the events. Everyone with a raptor came to hunt prey or show their birds at the educational show at the Eastland, TX Museum.
I got myself another trophy or three, which included photos of some gorgeous Harlan's Hawks, which I had never seen before. Believe it or not, the first rabbit kill was done by a dog, not a raptor. To the victor belongs the spoils and did we have a fantastic weekend.
The best part for me was the fact that my doctor cleared me to bring my camera, but I had to follow certain restrictions.
JD and his Red-tailed Hawk
JD's Red-tail solo
Savannah Sparrow
CS's Red-tail at a kill
CS and her Red-tail, who got a rabbit
Wild American Kestrel
Harris's Hawk
Harlan's Hawk #1
Harlan's Hawk #2 (Female)
Harlan's Hawks #2 (on right - female)
and #3 (Male on left)
JD's Red-tail in flight
JD's Red-tail banking
Two Yellow-billed Loons
The last photo was on on return trip after the hunting trip where we observed Yellow-billed Loons on
Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City. What a trip!
Friday, April 22, 2016
Getting in the Groove of Spring with the Neotropical Migrants
Baird's Sandpiper
Kansas Glossy Snake
Barred Owl
White-faced Ibis
Yellow-rumped Warbler(Myrtle)
Green Heron
Cedar Waxwing
Female Gadwall
Blue Jay
Harris's Sparrow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
55-67 degrees F/partly cloudy/light and variable winds
The first four photos are a carry over from my time spent in the western part of Oklahoma. Sadly,
I was unable to capture a Cassin's Sparrow, which was in the area and the prairie dogs and Burrowing Owls were staying undercover.
Upon my return home, I was still greeted with rain, which came from a front that infiltrated Texas
and western Oklahoma first.
As you can see, I still was able to get some good photos over the past couple of days, which made the wait well worth it. A Neotropic Cormorant has been at Boomer Lake for several days. The Baltimore Oriole and Warbling Vireo are now home as well as one member of my Green Heron family, the eldest. I believe this one is a grandparent, one of the original settlers of the Southern Cove. Last year, that art of the lake hosted two families. So we shall see what this summer brings
us.
The female Gadwall pictured here was all by herself, taking up with an American Wigeon, some Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, and some American Coot. Observed yesterday was another male Wood Duck, so perhaps he will get used to my presence and maybe I'll be fortunate enough to see some young on the creek.
There are plenty of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, at least a couple of Orange-crowned Warblers, and at
least one Yellow Warbler on the lake proper. A Common Loon was spotted, which I thought I saw a couple of days ago with a raft of Double-crested Cormorant, but dismissed that thought. I guess I was right after all!
Onward and upward!
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