OWLS

Lets see how many species of Owls we can add to this thread.

Show us your best Owl pictures.

I'll start things off with a few Great Horned Owl pictures.

I've learned of an area where a juvenile Great Horned Owl perches quite frequently.

The Owl perches in a small area near a bridge over a small shallow brook. There is a report a dead fish was found, in the brook, with talon holes in it.

The only problem is the bridge is on a foot path, in forested park lands, a half mile from the nearest access point. For an old man with flat feet, a mile hike is quite a chore. Then add in the fact the Owl is only there about half of the time.

Quite, Day Sleeper!

The Owl is accustomed to people and dogs on the path.
It doesn't pay much attention, even to photographs moving around below.
A background of tangled branches isn't particularly aesthetic.
Finding unobstructed views can be frustrating.

Final shot of the Great Horned Owl for tonight.

Wonderful shots, Gary. You're lucky to find any owls during the daylight hours. I hear owls around my place, sometimes two to three at a time talking back and forth, but always at night. Then I only ever see them as silhouettes against the night sky. Again....nice pix.

Beautiful photos Gary.

This Barn owlet was a rescue and used in a presentation at our local state park.

This message was edited Oct 20, 2009 9:47 AM

Another photo of it.

Old pics that I've posted here before, but no harm in the odd repeat . . .

Tawny Owl

and Little Owl

Resin

Barred…

Long-earred…

We're off to a great start. Glad to see so many owls so soon.

A Snowy Owl. This is a rehabbed owl which can not fly well enough be released. It has been trained as an educational bird for Bird TLC Anchorage. TLC = Treatment and Learning Center.

They are all so beautiful. I've never seen one in person but I have heard them at night. Great post !!!!!
Christine

Wow! Great photo's everyone! There's just something about Owls ... they have always been one of my favorite birds. We used to have owl's nesting around the neighborhood back in the early 70's before the area was built up, and more habitat was lost. I remember one time when our friends were watching the house for us when we were away on vacation. They came over to mow the lawn and left the garage door open and an owl flew into the garage. They were so startled and didn't know what to do, but of course the owl ended up flying out on his own! I still hear owls calling at night sometimes in springtime and it's such a nice, calming sound. We have friends who have many large live oak trees on their property and sometimes see owls in a tree in their backyard.

I collected Owl figurines and stuff for years. It all started with a ceramic owl my youngest sister made for me ... then it seemed like every time I turned around someone was giving me owl statues, owl coffee mugs, owl wall art, etc. I had owls made of ceramic, wood, stone, charcoal and even sea shells! I finally had to say "Enough with the Owl's Already!" A few years ago, during a severe house cleaning, most of the collection got packed up and was donated to the thrift store. Then began the collection of birdhouses ... but that's another story!

Ok, I know this isn't a picture of real live owls but thought I'd share a few of what's left of my collection.

I am really enjoying everyone's photo's of these beautiful creatures!

Resin, that comment sure made me smile, I do love your sense of humor!

hmm ... an Educational bird, it must teach Ornithology! ^_^

Seriously, I am so glad there are educational programs out there teaching the public not only about Owls, but other wildlife as well.

After all, Owls are seen as a symbol of wisdom.

"A wise old owl lived in an oak
The more he saw the less he spoke
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?"

How educational is that ???

Lithicum: I have not heard that verse in a long time! There are six kids in my family and Mom used to tell us if we would keep our eyes and ears open, and our mouths shut, and we would learn something, LOL. I listened to that advice for a very long time but I just don't know what happened to me ... I think now that I'm old, I must be making up for lost time because I'm not so quiet and shy anymore, and can't seem to ever shut up. ^_^

Gary, nice idea for a thread and good photos to go with it.

I've only been able to photograph one Owl in the wild, thus far. It was an Eastern Screech Owl - Red Morph that was taking in the sun one mid-afternoon while sitting in a Wood Duck box. That's been several years ago and every time I go by that box, I look for a repeat performance. Heck, I would even settle for a Wood Duck. Maybe the next time !!!

lovely shots everyone! so pretty

I agree, beautiful photos everyone. This is really a great thread!

All of my remaining Owl photos are of Owls unable to be released to the wild. But, nonetheless, it provides an opportunity to get up-close photos.

Here is a photo of the Spectacled Owl. There are six sub-species found in Central and South America. This is a sub-specie found in South America. It inhabits dense tropical rain forests, gallery forests and shady plantations from sea level to almost 5,000 feet in elevation. It is a very striking bird !!!

One of my favorite close-up photos of a Great-horned Owl.

This a Northern Hawk Owl.
As soon as it snows, expected be any day now, they will start hunting voles from the airport fence. I took this picture November 4, 2008.

A Short-eared Owl with frost crystals on the feathers around the nostrils.

Nice Owl Thread! Wish I could add to it... I can hear them sometimes at night. I read that the favorite food for a Great-horned Owl is a Skunk, and that they are the only bird of prey that can carry its own weight as far a prey goes. Like seeing the Owls pics keep them coming. :)

Wow, Great Owl shots everyone!

Wow, great owl pictures.

If I add mine, it is a duplicate.

Another barred owl.

Fantastic owl pictures.

I visited the Great Horned Owl again today. This is one of the pictures from this afternoon.

A slightly different pose. He wasn't moving much today. He was facing away from me. I had to make noises once in awhile to get the owl to look in my direction. I would have had to stand in the creek to face the owl.

This is a picture of the area where the Great Horned Owl perches. Can you spot the Owl? Hint it is in the largest tree on the left side of the stream. On the right side of the tree trunk near the top of the picture. Today the Owl was in the tree on the left edge of the picture, next to the path. I didn't see the Owl at first today, because I was standing directly under it when I stop to look.

Hey, I spotted it, late at night here too.

Nice Shots Grasmussen! Glad the Owl was there again.

Wonderful shots Gary!

I like the last shot. I know that we walk by wildlife all the time and don't see it. Owls are a good one for staying still and just watching you.

I have only seen the great horned owl once. What a huge owl. You are really fortunate to see him so often. Thanks for sharing.

I see the Northern Pygmy Owl during the winter months. Photo taken in December, just after the owl took a bath in the creek.

Gorgeous, tiger.