Great Horned Owl nest with chicks.

A parent has just arrived at the nest with a hind quarter of a Snowshoe Hare. The chicks have been waiting for more than two hours since the last meal.

When I first arrive it was evening nap time. No movement - at all ! Another photographer said, he had been waiting for over two hours with no action. But, I did take 199 pictures, before the battery went dead.

The nest is in a tree growing at the base of a nearly vertical mountain side. A Black-billed magpie started making a commotion in and behind the nesting tree. All of a sudden, there was a flash of brown feathers, as the Great Horned Owl, emerged from a craves in the rocks. It immediately claimed the hind quarter of the Hare, which had been cashed on the mountain side behind the nest.

The parent is tearing off a piece of meat to feed the chick.

The other chick got feed first, but I couldn't see any of the action, just a lot of tail feathers.

Wow - great pictures. Those babies are so big and cuddly looking!

All I can say is WOW!

Yes very nice Gras! We love seeing these owls!

Gary, fantabulous - and yeaaaaaaa . . . 199 pics!!! (Get a second battery!)

Thanks for the nice complements everyone. This is a shot of the adult taking a rest, near the nest, after feeding the chicks.

Gary

That is one serious Stay Away Or Else stare -
looking dead right at you. Wonderful photos. Thanks.

Mahnot, it is difficult to catch a picture with those big yellow eyes looking at the camera. I got about ten pictures, of the owl on that same branch and all you see is the back of the head - not very exciting pictures.
This is one of the very few shots of both chicks up and facing the camera. I went back this evening, but the light wasn't any good and there wasn't any action. Didn't take any pictures today. I'm still sorting yesterdays pictures anyway.

Gary

Well, Gary, you're a most patient man.
I'm positive I couldn't wait for as long as you do
just to get a photo that may or may not be worth
the time.

I see that you are in Alaska. My oldest daughter is
doing her thesis on the Kwakiutl and their culture.
Have you ever heard of them? She's almost finished
and will be defending her thesis in August.
Kwakiutl, Sesiutl, all names I've heard for the last
few years, she's been doing research that long.

Beautiful pics Gary!

What interesting photos Grass! Are you in a club where you get e-mail notices about sightings? Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos with us.

What great pictures. Thanks.

The owlets are getting bigger. We have had gloomy heavy overcast weather for over a week. Definitely not picture taking light conditions. When the sun finally came out this afternoon, I spent an hour at the Great Horned Owls nest. But, very little action at the nest. I finally got a shot of both owlets looking at me.

Lily, I belong to a Yahoo group, Alaska birds. Postings go to every ones e-mail.

One of the adults was sleeping nearly hidden, in a tree above and behind the nest.

A local TV station showed footage of the nest the other day. So when the sun came out, so did a bumper crop, of armature photographers. All of the action this afternoon, was down on the stretch of Old Seward Hwy. in front of the nest. The nest is at the tip of the arrow.