Great Horned Owls..Nesting in a tree in my yard!

[Calindy]

Just like last year, I have 2 Great Horned Owls nesting in a joshua tree on my property. Their owlets should hatch in the next 2 weeks or so! The first photo is the female sunning her face as she sits on her eggs in the nest. I will post owlet photos when they finally peek out of their nest!

The second one is the male, always close by, watching and protecting!

[T.D.]

Wow! How lucky is that?!

I'm looking forward to seeing more shots as the season progresses.

[LazyPhotographer]

Too cool! This Owl is on my long-time wishlist... I'm so jealous!

[pttenn]

Lucky is the word! Wow-I've been looking high and low for an owl...you should have fun watching the new ones.
Karen

[bromm]

Ok, here it is, this is the second year they are using the nest? Well once the nest is empty for the year, install a webcam for us!!!!! that way its ready for next year.:D Nice captures, and are you ever lucky!!

[Gary Fairhead]

Very nice and if my memory serves me ...your photography has improved over last year. Nice!

[Reyno]

Very nice capture Calindy.

[ngannet]

Fantastic shots and you are soo lucky! Can't wait to see the babies too.

[hTr]

You have a great opportunity for a real life series.

[canonloader]

I have 2 Great Horned Owls nesting in a joshua tree on my property.
And not a mouse or snake or lizard for miles around. Wonder shots of these wonderful birds. :)

[DL64]

what luck you have it should be fun to watch.

[calicokat]

What an oppurtunity, nice work

[Calindy]

Thanks so much for all the nice comments! I thought a lot about a web cam last year, then I had read that great horned owls normally do not re-use a nest, so I was surprised to see them in the nest this year! They are a different pair, but from what I read usually one nesting season is all a nest can handle...must be a great nest!! I think the female is from last year's clutch.
Yesterday I noticed the femle had turned around, I could only see her tail. She is getting higher in the nest, so there may be babies already!
Yes Gary, my photography has improved, thanks to this great group! Thanks so much for noticing!

[joayne]

And not a mouse or snake or lizard for miles around. Wonder shots of these wonderful birds. :)

Well, I think there are plenty of mice, moles, shakes, lizards and other little creatures in the desert... There seem to be plenty around my house!

Calindy, great shots.. only moments ago, after looking at owl picture after owl picture, I wondered if there were owls in the So Cal desert and what kind they would be... Thanks for answering that question! ;)

You are getting some good shots there, the male seems very cooperative and I believe the female "mooned" you!

Keep this series coming.. and Gary is right, I saw your shots last year also and these are nice and sharp.. Thanks for sharing.

[canondslruser]

How cool is that to have a nesting pair right in your own backyard. You are very fortunate. Lots of photo ops.

[donlavange]

I have never seen an owl in the wild. I have heard one or two on occasion. I guess RI is limited in owl population. We sure have plent of food for them!!

[Calindy]

"Calindy, great shots.. only moments ago, after looking at owl picture after owl picture, I wondered if there were owls in the So Cal desert and what kind they would be... Thanks for answering that question! :wink:"

Joayne...there are BARN OWLS too, but once Great Horned Owls move in, the barn owls leave. We had barn owls living in our house when it was being built! That is when I learned how great owls are at rodent control...yuck!!

The male was in another joshua tree in our yard this evening, looking for dinner I bet!

[Calindy]

I THINK we have babies! I see fuzzy white feathers that look like owlet feathers, but I will have to wait till they peek their cute little heads out of the nest to get photos of them. Here is the male owl checking in on the female in the nest.

[Calindy]

He is ruffling his feathers!!
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_8623-2.jpg

[TammieO]

This is just too cool! Keep the pictures coming. I can't wait to see the cute little babies!

[Calindy]

WE HAVE OWLETS!!!!!!! I saw 2 so far, they are very little, I only saw them a few seconds when they opened their mouths (must be hungry!)

[Calindy]

Here are some better shots of the new babies....

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_9907_OWLET5edited-1-1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_9927OWLET4_edited-1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_9964_Owletedited-1.jpg

[Greg_C]

Cool, Nice work. Like a few of the others, wild owls are a bit hard to come by where I live.

[canonloader]

That's fantastic. They sure look big already. :)

[jcrane]

Great shots .Can't wait to see the kids. jcrane

[joayne]

Great shots there. I'm sure your yard is now free of rodents, or soon will be!

[Calindy]

Sleeping next to Mommy and stretching wings after waking up!

[T.D.]

Fabulous shots! Thanks for the follow up. I'll look forward to seeing more of these little ones as they progress.

[canonloader]

Cute. I can't get over those ears are just feathers. Strange adaptation.

[donlavange]

Cute. I can't get over those ears are just feathers. Strange adaptation.

I never thought of that! What evolutionary advantage would the appearance of ears give a bird for reproduction or survival?.. Perhaps in looking like an animal put off hunters of some sort. . . .or maybe the females just had ear fetishes!

[canonloader]

Perhaps in looking like an animal put off hunters of some sort
The only other animal with ears like that is a jackass. Nobody eats those, so I guess it would work. :)

[village idiot]

Nothing like having Wild Kingdom set up camp in your yard, right? How nice THAT must be... Beautiful shots. Please keep us posted on the little ones when they hatch.

[Miniflash]

cool shots~

[Birdmanc]

Great shots! Your soooo lucky to these so close.

[joayne]

Please keep us posted on the little ones when they hatch.

Errhmmm. They have hatched... There are actually photos.. Mr. Idiot :rolleyes:

[Calindy]

I cropped these photos really close so everyone can see how CUTE the owlets are!!

[canonloader]

Glad to see they look nice and healthy.

[hlcowan]

Calindy, these are absolutely awesome!!!
We have a going joke at my house - that the owls are saying who? who? warning the other owls that Heather is out with her camera, trying to find them! :rolleyes: So everyone should hide. I hear them constantly, but I have yet to see them in a nest - and rarely see them at all, except for flying overhead at night.
I noticed from your signature that you are in the High Desert of So. Cal. Can I ask where? I'm in Lancaster myself....

[Calindy]

Here are updates on the owlets...they are starting to get brown on their feathers now.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_2872-1.jpg

[canonloader]

Beautiful babies and just starting to get ear nubbins. :)

[joayne]

Wow, these kids certainly grow up fast! Those are more great shots. Thanks for keeping us all updated and posting up some cute "kids"
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_1_75.gif

[Calindy]

The nest must be getting tight as the owlets grow! Yesterday for the first time I saw the mom owl out of the nest leaving the 2 owlets alone. She was not far however! Today she was again out of the nest, but sitting right next to the owlets. They will be trying to get out of their nest soon, and will be flying before we know it!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_4046-1.jpg

A BIG YAWN!! Mom is a little cross-eyed!!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_3020-1.jpg

You can see how the feathers are starting to get color.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_2977-1.jpg

[wlaramie]

Great series and what a thrill it must be to watch their development. Well done!

[stefeb]

It's not fair. It's just not fair ;). Great shots, and apparently great birding neighborhood as well.

[qhorses]

You are so lucky. What a thrill to watch these little guys grow. Great pictures!

[Calindy]

Thanks for all the nice comments!! I am enjoying watching these little ones so much! I always make sure that I do not bother them. Most of the time they do not even notice I am around. Here are some photos from today:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_4145-1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_4689-1.jpg

[hlcowan]

Hi Debbie!
Do you have any new pictures to share with us? Hopefully your owl family survived our "breezy" days (75mph gusts? what wind?) I imagine your little family must be starting to spread its wings by now:)

[Calindy]

I have been way for awhile...This has been a rough few weeks, I was with my SIL and brother. My SIL, although going for follow-up care every 3 months (post breast cancer 3 yrs ago), she had a NEW cancer in her other breast that was TOTALLY missed. She (and our family) had no idea she was so sick until the pain in her arm (which she was told was Arthritis) got so bad she could not stand it. She went to an urgent care (after working her shift as a waitress), and they called an ambulance because her oxygen levels were so low. That was March 30, 07. She never got to go home. She passed away on April 26, 07 from cancer in her breast, bone, and lung. I was holding her hand when she died. The reason I am writing this is to say, in my SIL's memory, her name is Cheryl, PLEASE insist on further testing if you feel it is needed. DO NOT let a doctor tell you things are fine, when you feel they are not. TRUST your instincts!!

The other thing that happened while I was with my brother & SIL is one of the owlets died :( My husband found it out of the nest (they had start fledging a few days before), it was on the ground (where he had seen it walking around the day before), and it was just lying there. no signs of trauma. I was so sad. The other owlet, now a Juvi Owl, I am happy to say, is doing very well!! Here are some photos taken today, he (or she) was in a Joshus Tree on our property.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_3661-1copy.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y63/Calindy/IMG_4082-1copy.jpg

[joayne]

You have been through a lot the past days. I am so sad for the loss that you must be feeling. Prayers to you brother and all of your family in the loss of Cheryl.

Also, so sorry to hear about the owlet. The surviving guy/gal is very cute.

Thanks for posting.

[canonloader]

Gee Calindy, I'm sorry for you and your brothers loss. I never trust doctors, what do they know?

I think in the case of the owl on the ground, I would have caught it and put it back in the nest or even raised it myself, which I have done before with other raptors. It probably died of thirst in Joshua tree land. Many owls fall out of the nest but can climb the tree to get back up, but probably couldn't climb a Joshua tree.

[Calindy]

Canonloader...Thanks for the kind words about my SIL...it is such an unbelieveable story it sounds like it was made up...I wish it was made up:(

As far as the owlet goes...We were told by an "owl expert" to leave it alone...so my husband did, and now he feels terrible!! You never know if nature just took it's course (something was wrong with the owlet), or if it did die from thirst (makes me sick to think that).

On a happy note, the other owlet is thriving. We had a scare the other day. A dirt bike went by and I just happen to see the owlet fly off (it was at that time staying in the next lot over), and I looked thru my binoculars and saw it hit the ground. So I went looking for it and could not find it. Then my son noticed it in a field around 10-15 acres away. It was tired, could only fly small amts, and would fall back down to the ground. Then it started to walk the wrong way!! We are in the desert and there are all kinds of animals around, so I could only imagine what could happen to that little guy. So I went around the back of it and corralled it towards it's mother. My neighbors came to see what I was doing, and they helped!! I took a photo which I will post below of the owlet (I guess Juvi Owl now) when I was corralling him, he kept looking at me and I can only imagine what he was thinking! We were succesful and he finally flew into the area where his mom was.
Since that incident, the Juvi Owl and his mom have been staying on our property! Maybe she decided he was not ready to move over to the next lot afterall, LOL!!!

[canonloader]

I'm not one of the people who believes in hands off with any animal. It's not going to make one whit of difference if someone helps an animal or leaves it alone in the long run, I don't think there is any grand plan. But I just can't believe that an animal in distress should be left to suffer when I have the ability to help. It's what makes me human.

[Calindy]

I see what you are saying. I guess I should be clearer on what happened. My husband NEVER saw the owlet in distress. It was walking around when he last saw it, and when he went out the next day it was dead. When the 3 owlets on our property fledged last year, we saw them walking around on the ground many times (when we learned that it was normal and to leave them alone), and they all survived. In other words, he thought things were fine, just like the owlets last year. Had that owlet been in ANY distress, he would have intervened...these owlets are like our family...one's with wings!!:)

[guitarman3]

Very sorry to hear of the loss in your family. My sympathy goes out to you and yours.

Sorry, too, to hear about the owlet. Thanks for keeping us posted on this amazing owl story.

[canonloader]

Calindy, I was thinking more about what the "experts" say. There is no global warming, the ozone layer is fine, let nature take it's course, leave it alone, the shuttle is fine for another launch, saddam has weapons of mass destruction, no you don't need another checkup. I'm coming to the belief we'd all be better off without the experts. :D

[Calindy]

Calindy, I was thinking more about what the "experts" say. There is no global warming, the ozone layer is fine, let nature take it's course, leave it alone, the shuttle is fine for another launch, saddam has weapons of mass destruction, no you don't need another checkup. I'm coming to the belief we'd all be better off without the experts. :D

GOOD REPLY!!! I hear ya!!!

[Calindy]

Thank-you to everyone who has sent kind words about my SIL....it means a lot to me!!

[mikeivan]

Wow, these are great photos. They remind me of a Great-horned Owl family we had on our property years ago. What fun it was to watch the youngster learn to fly. The landings were spectacular. So sorry for the loss of your SIL.

[Calindy]

Just an update, the Juvi Owl is doing well! He stays in or near my property, so I get to see him everyday! His parents are always nearby....

[canonloader]

Ooooh, he's growing up fast. :)

Glad to see he's doing OK.

[EZRider]

First off my prayer goes out to you and you family, tuff times indeed!

Thanks for sharing all the photos :) Very nice!