owl ID, if possible?

For the past two weeks I've been stalking (and missing...) what I believe to be a great horned owl in the woods across the road from our house. So far all I've gotten for my trouble are blurry, back lit shots and silhouettes I can't lighten up sufficiently (not to mention briar scratched legs that make me look as if I've been wading through cats...)
This morning while trying to locate the bird I've been seeing, a much smaller owl landed in the tree almost directly overhead. Again, the sun was all wrong, so I've had to play with the contrast and fill-flash to get it viewable. But I'm not convinced this is a great horned owl after all.
Anyone have a better guess? The male has much more pronounced "ears"...
Thanks, Bob.

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Bob, this looks like a juvenile Great Horned Owl. Here's the link to a juvenile GHO shot that I took last year.

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=157147

Yep, looks like a juvie about the same age as this one.

I appreciate the look, Stephen. I was curious if maybe this wasn't a great horned owl, after all. The other one I've been trying to capture is twice the size of this one and has very large tufts. I thought perhaps this was the female, but juvenile makes more sense. I'm usually alerted to their presence by the crows who go crazy whenever they find the owls.
Thanks, Bob.

Man--check out those talons! Serious business there..wonderful shot, by the way! I would have said female but looks fuzzy enough to be a juvenile.
Karen

I also go with Juvi GHO and I would say not more than a couple of months old. I would not be surprised if there isn'rt a nest very close to this spot in that this bird doesn't have full flight feathers yet.

Nice catch on this. Did he fly at all? Or was he just walking the limb?

canonloader wrote in post #3090516
Nice catch on this. Did he fly at all? Or was he just walking the limb?

I didn't see this one fly because I was pretty much trespassing on another man's yard to get the shot and didn't want to linger like a stalker with a monster lens... he has teenage daughters and that's enough of a curse without weirdos with cameras in the backyard.

The larger GHO I've seen in the same area might have a nest nearby. My girlfriend took a picture of what I believe might be said nest, but she can't remember where she was when she saw it...(heavy sigh...)

Good shot. Juv GHO for sure. They nest in rock, tree or cave natural hollows, don't make their own nest.

morehtml wrote in post #3090775
Good shot. Juv GHO for sure. They nest in rock, tree or cave natural hollows, don't make their own nest.

Good to know before I get another layer of scratches hauling the tripod around the brush looking for a nest.

village idiot wrote in post #3090794
Good to know before I get another layer of scratches hauling the tripod around the brush looking for a nest.

VI

I must tell you aftyer going to the swamp every day I know about the blackberry Briers and the snakes are out also. take care.

village idiot wrote in post #3090794
Good to know before I get another layer of scratches hauling the tripod around the brush looking for a nest.

They do use nests, just dont build their own, As Allen said they sometimes use caves etc, but when using a nest its an abandoned or taken over Red tailed hawk's nest, crows nest etc. Very nice pic of the juvie!

Wow-how many people get to see a juvenile great horned owl??? Gonna tell me where it is??????? HMMMMMMM????
Karen

Great shot and at least share the location with your sister now...LOL

Yes, it is a Great-Horned Owlet who is "Branching". Great-Horned Owls ("GHO") are the first owls to mate, and their owlets are Branching. Branching is where the owlets fall out of nest to the ground, and then have to learn how to climb the tree. This is the time where owls are most vunerable to preditors. This lucky owlet has learned how to climb the tree. In about a week he will start flying. If you had looked around carefully, you probably would have seen the parents. They are very close by, and were probably watching you very carefully. If you had gotten too close they would have flew by your head and scratch you with those large talons.

In the next couple of days the Barred Owls will also start Branching.

Sweet capture Village!