Bookending the Northern Night: Owls at Sunset & Sunrise

Year 10,

Yesterday evening I put on full mosquito gear and hiked back into the Bog. I was rewarded when a Great Gray Owl flew over near me and landed only 20 yards away. It totally ignored my presence while hunting. Listen to the soundtrack to get an idea of the mosquitoes … it was horrible (video link for email subscribers).

This morning I was hiking by 5:30 am and quickly discovered Junior had fledged overnight! Both Great Horned Owlets are now flying. I found the entire family this morning, Mom, Dad and both owlets. For the first time since FuzzBall fell from the nest four weeks ago, the owlets were reunited! Here is na image I took of Momma Great Horned Owl on guard at sunrise this morning … crows were present. Now that the Great Horned Owl family has left their nest, I can reveal for three months they were living only 25 yards from the end of my driveway!!!

Frank Lake, Alberta Birds and Water

Year 10

I am working through bird photos from my great trip to Frank Lake, Alberta. As noted in my prior post, the key is the fantastic wetlands and lake (just saved from a HUGE power plant development). Anyhow, here is the next to last post about Frank Lake birds.

Yellow-Headed Blackbird (posturing for a mate)

Barn Swallow (getting nesting material)

Swainson’s Hawk (sunset and defense of a kill)

Lesser Scaup (a pair ready to nest)

Wilson’s Phalarope (spins in a tight circle to create a whirlpool sucking bugs to the surface)

FuzzBall has Fledged!

Year 10

Not only is FuzzBall alive (see yesterday’s post), but the little owlet is now fledged! At 6:15 am this morning I found the Great Horned Owlet across the  creek way up high in an extremely tall white pine tree. The only way to reach the perch FuzzBall is using today is via “flight mode”. The day an owlet fledges is a HUGE accomplishment, and soon it must start learning how to hunt.

The two images given below were taken about 2 minutes apart. A distances of about 125 yards separates the two owlets today. Momma Owl tends to find perches where she may watch both of her youngsters. Poppa Owl normally dekes the crows away from the area. In addition to crows, FuzzBall learned this morning what it was like to have a Merlin take two dive bombing runs at it.

FuzzBall Fledged in White Pine Tree

Meanwhile junior is still only branching back in the nest tree. I estimate junior is about 5 to 7 days younger than FuzzBall.

Junior Branching in Nest Tree