Last year, a Barred Owl family put on a great show for the local birders and photographers. The at least one adult would perch out near the bog and watch over us as we explored her home. The babies were usually easy to find as they hissed back and forth begging for food. I wrote about them back in March, Last Summer’s Barred Owls.
One of the Barred Owl parents, taken last year
As time passed this year, we were thinking that the Owls did not have a successful nest. Adults were being seen, but babies were not and it was already two weeks past when we first saw them last year. Then yesterday, a local birder spotted the kids. A friend and I went out to find them and had no trouble at all. As soon as we arrived on the trail, we could hear the Owls calling back and forth. Both siblings were together in a tree.
Two bikers were making their way up the trail and, before we could even set up, the Owls flushed from the tree. One of the Owls ended up flying on a branch directly above us! We had to back away in order to take some photos and get some good looks. I was able to fill the frame with bird at 250mm.
Barred Owl baby calling to its sibling and parents, at 250mm
Zooming in all the way produced some nice head shots.
Barred Owl baby, at 400mm
On our way out, we ran across its sibling on the trail. He was on a very nice perch.
Barred Owl baby, at 200mm
Once again, this one was very close.
Barred Owl baby calling to the first sibling, at 400mm
I also got a couple of videos of them calling back and forth.
The lighting wasn’t favorable and I got eaten alive by mosquitoes (you can hear one in the second video), but it was still a great experience!
In other Owl news, the Great Horned Owl that appeared in my neighborhood last week is still here! Today, he stayed out in the open all day – I was able to show him to some neighbors. It’s great when such a beautiful and unique bird can be seen by many!
Great Horned Owl on his all-day perch