Northern Hawk Owl catches lunch while I'm photographing it.

This Northern Hawk Owl was perched on the back fence at the international airport in Anchorage, when I spotted it.

This message was edited Nov 1, 2008 10:42 PM

This will be a long series. All pictures are posted in the order they were taken.
Even though I'm within 50 feet of the owl, it has turned and is not paying attention to me.

The owl has moved about 50 feet down the fence. I thought it was moving away from me. But, it isn't looking at me approaching again. Suddenly it jumps off the fence and pounces on something on the ground.

The owl returns to the fence, in front of me, with a vole. Voles are mouse like mammals, some places better known as field mice.

Suddenly the Owl became very active. I suspect the vole was still alive, and had bit the owl, in an attempt to get free.

The owl bit the voles head, but didn't appear to make any attempt to eat the vole. After a good chomp, on the head, the vole was lowered.

Next, the owl chomped down on the vole again.

Then down again, along with a lot of flopping wings.

Then one more good chomp, this time on the back of the neck.

Then the Owl stopped, and gave me a good stern stare, before taking the vole into the forest across the road.

Great photos as usual Grasmussen! Perhaps the owl thought you were competition and wanted it's catch?

Great series Gary...that last look he gave you is priceless! What a gorgeous bird...lucky you to get so many shots!

Fantastic series of photos, Gary. Is this sighting unusual for you ? Are they rare ?

Great shots Gary! Their a magnificent bird.

Very nice Gary, thanks for sharing.

In the area were I live, N. Hawk Owls are uncommon. This was only the 3rd one I've seen in the last two years. However, in interior Alaska they are common. Hawk Owls hunt during the day time, so they are seen more often than other species. Driving in the interior, it is common to spot them sitting on the very top spike of a spruce trees, along highways.

Only once before did I get closer to a Hawk Own, than this bird, yesterday. Years ago, I was photographing a fledgling, when mama dived on me, and drew blood, on the top of my head!

Today when I returned, the Owl was sitting on the fence again. However, as I stepped out of the truck, the Owl pounced on another vole. Today it didn't return to the fence. Instead it disappeared into the forest across the road. I waited for a while but it didn't return. Checked a second time late in the day, no Owl. I wonder how many voles they eat a day.

Lots I hope. They distroy beardless iris plant roots over the winter. A couple of friends aren't going to replant.

I replanted all of mine in "hardware cloth" It's a 1/4" wire mesh. I made boxes to plant tulips in and have used them for all the bulbs now.

and the leaves make it up through that narrow of a mesh?

Without any problem that I can tell.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! And twice!

Great series.

What a beautiful bird Gary. Great series of shots!

Whoops. Got "oldtimers" here. That is 1/2inch mesh,

wow that is incredible! That is something me and my bird nerd friends down here in PA/NJ only dream about!!! Great photos!

okay, half inch id a bit more understantable! I'll have to experiment. I need some squirrel deterrent.

Today was the fourth consecutive day the Owl has been hunting voles from the air port back fence. The light was a little better today, Sunday & Monday were heavily overcast along with drifting patches of ground level ice fog. Not suitable weather for good photography.

Enough light today to show the yellow eyes. In yesterdays pictures, the eyes were nearly gray.

A wide angle shot, with Anchorage's downtown skyline in the background.

Even an Owl has to yawn once in a while. Look closely, the mouth is wide open, and the pink tongue is visible.

The ground is heavily rolling, here the top of the fence is about level with the road. The background changes as the Owl moves along the fence. It only stays in one place a short time, then moves a short distance hunting voles.

he is just too cool..keep up the great pics!

Even shooting a three shots burst, it's difficult to center a 747, traveling at about 150 mph, as the wheals are lifting off the ground, in the background. This was the refueling stop, for many of those "Made in China" goods you own.

This message was edited Nov 5, 2008 3:06 PM

The owl is near the center of the picture, wings spread just above the ground. I expected to see it nail a vole, but then it swooped up and landed on the fence again. Maybe the vole made it under the fence, to safety.

Today was the first time I saw the Owl perch on the wooded side of the road. Problem was, he was in the shade on that side. A minute after this shot, it flew quite a ways up the road and pounced on a vole. It returned to a tree, for a few seconds, did something to the vole. Then as usual, after making a kill, it flew out of sight into the wooded area.

Owls generally have a favorite spot or two where they eat. If you find a spot or tree with owl pellets around it on the ground, you have found a favorite dinning spot!

Incredible shots of the owls and I'm enjoying every one of them.

Am enjoying your thread Gary, We don't often see an owl.

Gary,

Wonderful set of pics! Thanks for sharing!

Marilyn

Wow - you are very lucky to see such a magnificent bird so close and so frequently. Thanks very much for posting these.