NOT LITTLE ANYMORE

Juvenile Great Horned Owl, Mississippi River, Mud Lake, Iowa ---------    

I made an early visit to Mud Lake this morning and came back with nothing. Looking for the branchling between all the leaves is like searching a needle in a hay stack. My photography friend Linda went later in the day to the same place and spotted the owlet successfully. I finally went back in the afternoon and found the young Great Horned Owl sitting on a branch in a large cluster of maple trees, the same spot Linda had described in an email to me. I’m very thankful to her for sending me the message.

I guess we shouldn’t call the owlet “little” anymore. It’s hard to believe it was only 37 days between the photos from today and my first shot of the young bird in the picture below. The click above was made when the bird turned its head and had an eye on our little dog Cooper, who sat quietly in the grass below. Maybe there were some thoughts about a future meal… Looking at its big claws leaves me without any doubts that this owl will be a great predator.

First sighting, March 28, 2017 (image cropped)

SPRING BIRDS UPDATE

The Male House Wrens sing and try to attract the females since April 21, 2017. Today a female wren inspected both floors at one of the nest boxes, and the male was probably praising how good of a place that would be for raising a family.

I like to photograph small birds any time of the year but spring is probably the most rewarding time. Most birds look at their best because it’s also mating season and during that time some species don’t care so much about the presence of a photographer because their mind is of course somewhere else. I love the light that we have when the first leaves just come out here in our woods. Yes, the sun can be powerful and make it harsh sometime but I love how crisp things appear under the spring sun.

Today new bird arrivals can be reported. We saw the first hummingbird at one of our feeders. The Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, males and females, are here since yesterday, and a male Scarlet Tanager was present today for the first time this season as well.

Chipping Sparrow, arrived already April, 21, 2017

So, what about the young Great Horned down at the Mississippi River? I was there Monday night during a rain shower and the nest was empty. It took me just about five minutes to find the owlet, now called a “branchling”, in a tall tree next to the nest. Other birders and photographers had sent me updates and photos today (thank you Linda and Kevin!). I will try to locate the owl tomorrow again, but with the leaves growing rapidly it’s going to be a challenge as always during an owls branch hopping stage.

Female Purple Finch, has still not left for their summer grounds up in northern Minnesota and Canada.