Showing posts with label Eastern Screech Owl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eastern Screech Owl. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Raptor Banding

I have been out to band some raptors before their release back into the wild a couple of times lately for our friends at the Avian Reconditioning Center and now they were ready to release some more. During this time, we have been helping to train Allison Miller in the hopes that she can be qualified to band them on their own.

We love heading out there but it is a good distance away and it would be more convenient if someone was able to do it whenever they are ready to set a bird free which can sometimes be at a moment's notice.

We had several species to band today and the first up was one of the last American Kestrel still on hand. We banded a bunch of them last month.

American Kestrel

Next up was a species we have not banded here in a while. Eastern Screech Owls. We occasionally catch them in the wild at the banding station. Today we had four adorable young birds ready for jewelry. Most were waiting by the door to their enclosure.

Eastern Screech Owl

Allison brought out the first Eastern Screech Owl. Notice the thick gloves they wear to grab the birds to avoid any injury. Raptor talons and beaks are super sharp and strong.

Eastern Screech Owl

Once she retrieved a bird, she would hand it over to me (no gloves for me!) so she can do the actual banding procedure.

Eastern Screech Owl

After being banded and the data recorded, the Eastern Screech Owls just want us to go away.

Eastern Screech Owl

On to the largest birds of the day. Great-horned Owls. Here, Allison applies the band to the first subject.

Great-horned Owl

Scott brought in the next Great-horned Owl. My son had the photography duties for these big guys, all juveniles.

Great-horned Owl

Great-horned Owl have extremely strong claws to grab their prey. Also a deadly set of talons you don't want to be caught up in!

Great-horned Owl

The last Great-horned Owl is brought...

Great-horned Owl

...and Allison applied another band while we check that everything is secured properly.

Great-horned Owl

You can see the band on this bird's leg and now we have a lot of birds about ready to be released.

Great-horned Owl

Allison is doing a great job with the banding so we now just wait for the paperwork to clear and she will be on her way to taking over. We are now discussing the possibility of doing a banding demo for their next Owl Fest in November. We would only be catching our typical small bird species but it would give the public a chance to see the banding process in action.

Sunday, November 04, 2012

Eastern Screech Owl

I had a nice opportunity to photograph an Eastern Screech Owl at our banding site. Full disclosure: This is a bird we actually caught in our mist nets at Lake Lotus. After I banded it I found a stump nearby and gently placed the owl on it and figured it would fly off right away. Nope. It decided to sit for a while. Where's my camera?

Eastern Screech Owl

The photo above utilized the flash but I am almost preferring the shot below without it in the natural morning light.

Eastern Screech Owl

The owl sat for about 15 minutes. I kept an eye and ear out for any smaller birds spotting it and harassing it but it was nice and quiet. I walked over after those 15 minutes and said, "You know you can go, right?" and she took off into the pine trees.

Bird whisperer...

If you would like to see a photo of the bird in hand right after I banded it, and many other birds that we captured that morning, check out our banding blog which is updated weekly.

This is only the second Screech Owl we have captured at the banding site and it is always a thrill.

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Quick Run to an Old Place

Once banding ended a little early yesterday I decided to swing by Mead Garden and see what was happening there. Met up with a fellow birder and we began looking around for anything of interest. Out of no where, he tells me about some Screech Owls that were breeding in the park and wondered if I wanted to go look for them. Um. Yeah! He had seen a flegling earlier but all we could find on this check was an adult Red Morph.

Eastern Screech Owl

There was not a lot going on elsewhere so we wandered over to the Red-shouldered Hawk nest. Along the way we found one of the adult perched in a tree near the very dry pond in the middle of the garden.

Red-shouldered Hawk

We continued to the nest site. Don't know about you, but I can't resist taking photos of Great-blue Herons no matter how many times I have.

Great-blue Heron

As we approached the nest tree we noticed a couple birds on the branch. We expected the young to still be in the nest but they are fledged and getting ready to fly! While we watched an adult flew in with a snack. The chicks decided they should return to nest and walked back down the branch.

Red-shouldered Hawk

All gathered around for a bite or two.

Red-shouldered Hawk

I heard a call coming from somewhere near the river bed (water is all but gone for now) and headed over to find the bird. I did not recognize the song. What I found surprised me but you will have to return tomorrow to find out what it was. It deserves its own post. SO! After that I headed back to the van and was greeted by a Great-Crested Flycatcher. It was zipping back and forth rather quickly but it did pose for a few seconds.

Great-Crested Flycatcher

At one point it jumped on something on the ground and let me try to fight the bad light for a shot. I just wanted to share it on the ground since it doesn't happen for long.

Great-Crested Flycatcher

Most migrants are gone. All locals today. Except for the special bird I will write about next!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Raptor Banding

We got the call to return to the Avian Reconditioning Center to see if we could band some raptors that were to be released back into the wild soon. Several species were represented plus a special 'bonus' bird we were not told of prior to arrival. I got there with the boys before 10 AM (much to their reluctance to wake on a day off) and Carol had to move one of the other birds that was not being banded so we all got a nice close up of a Barred Owl before things got underway.

Barred Owl

Soon, the raptors were be gathered up and brought in for their new jewelry. First up was our surprise bird. A Burrowing Owl fledgling! A rare treat.

Burrowing Owl

Next, it was time for the Cooper's Hawks. Several birds were ready to be banded and the boys got their first chance to watch the banding here. They have come with me banding at other locations to see smaller birds banded before but have had fewer chances to see larger birds up close. Except for the Cooper's Hawk I brought into the house after catching out back a couple years ago...

Cooper's Hawk

Carol brings out one of the Cooper's and shows us how some of the tail feathers were injured.

Cooper's Hawk

Then the bird gets its own special leg wear.

Cooper's Hawk

Allison, one of the volunteers today holds the next bird in line as Richard applies the band.

Cooper's Hawk

A beautiful bird close up.

Cooper's Hawk

Another special treat for the morning. A young Eastern Screech Owl.
Too cute!

Screech Owl

The last species of the day, American Kestrels. We had three females to band before their release.

American Kestrel

A closer look at a Kestrel. The images are darker as we need to close the door so these speedsters don't escape our grasp.

American Kestrel

Banding was done but I had to take a look at a couple other birds in the cages. There was a nice Barn Owl fluttering around the enclosure.

Barn Owl

Just behind the Owl was a very vocal Harris Hawk brought down from Tennessee. Scott hopes to teach it along with their resident Harris Hawk in the future.

Harris Hawk

More birds will get our attention for banding in the near future. Can't wait. Always an interesting time.

The Avian Reconditioning Center has a web site and are open to the public on Saturdays. Check for news and directions there. They also have an Adopt-a-Bird program if anyone is interested in helping with the funding to care for some of these remarkable birds.

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Hoo, Two.

I have been wondering for a while why Screech Owls look a certain way. Often, I see them with rounded heads and other times they seem to have longer, more pointed "ears".

This was prompted by a close series of shots that I was able to capture over the past week or so. The first was the discovery of an owl during the day in the front yard. You can find those images here.

Then, there was a ruckus out back once night fell. Sounded like a bird chirping but that would be odd. Being night, and all.

I stepped out to explore and figured that the noises were actually Flying Squirrels giving distress calls. Hmmm. As my eyes grew more accustomed to the dark, I could make out a shape perched on one of the feeder poles.

I ran in for the camera, thinking I knew what it was, and rushed back out in time to get one shot of the visitor.

Eastern Screech Owl

Yes! Another Screech Owl! Possibly the same from the previous post. If so, it had a rounded head.

Researching this difference I find that Screech Owls raise their 'ears' during the day while sitting in trees or bushes. It is thought that this is to help them blend in with their surrounding better. At night they do not need this disguise so they relax those feathers.

Interesting.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Hoo Is It?

Eastern Screech Owl

So, I was just minding my business trying to clean out the closet and got caught up reviewing old photos. Nothing new there but there was a strange series of calls coming from the front of the house. Soon, I could make out Blue Jays making alarm calls. I grabbed the binoculars and rushed outside.

Jays were calling loudly. Gnatcatchers were flying in to add their cries. Cardinals swooped in, chipping wildly. An unidentified warbler hovered on the far side of the bushes. Something had to be in there. I circled around and searched. Eventually I found the subject of their distress.

Eastern Screech Owl

An Eastern Screech Owl! I have posted shots of them before but those were all at night. They are much harder to find resting during the day. Unless you can get some help from the local birds.

Eastern Screech Owl

The bush is so tangled with branches that it was very difficult to get any clear shots but I kept trying.

Eastern Screech Owl

One last shot as my oldest son arrived and I showed him our new guest. The owl is actually looking at him.

Eastern Screech Owl

The owl stayed in the bush for a couple of hours. I could see its shadowy shape tucked in between the branches from inside the house. By the time I headed out for groceries just before dark I noticed it had left.

Off to find food like me, no doubt.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Return of the Screech Owl!

It has been quite a while since I have seen our resident Screech Owl. By a total fluke, I walked out back and there it was!

Eastern Screech Owl

In other news, I have been proven correct. I have speculated for years that the sounds I have heard in the tree on many nights were those of Flying Squirrels. When I went out with the tripod to look for the owl I saw a small head peeking around the edge of the oak tree right next to the squirrel feeder.

Then it squeaked! Yes! Flying Squirrel sighting!!

I zig-zagged back up the tree, stopping to check that I wasn't following as it scurried and vocalized. I bet it is something that the owl is after.

But...Flying Squirrel confirmed!!!! Whoo-hoo!

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

New Screech Owl

Took a quick walk outside after dark just to check for any activity.

Got lucky with an adult red-morph Eastern Screech Owl perched over the tray feeder. I got pretty close and it finally turned its head my way after a few seconds.

I rushed back inside to grab the boys so they could get a look but it had flown off before we got back out.

This is definitely a different bird than the one spotted June 20th. Hopefully we have a whole family roaming about and clearing away the rodents.

No picture this time.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Our Very Own Screech Owl

The day began with an interesting visitor. A rather larger rodent was inpecting the squirrel feeder. In broad daylight!

I headed out, grabbing a broom handle I keep just outside the backdoor that I use to move the squirrels along if they are hogging the feeders from the birds. The rodent bolted as soon as I hit the back deck and I could not relocate it.

I vowed to buy a trap on the way home and take care of the situation.

As night fell, I armed the trap and decided to set it up near the squirrel feeder. Just after I laid it down I stood up and glanced to ward the backyard. There was a shape sitting atop the tray feeder pole. It seemed about Mourning Dove size and color in the dim light. Doves? Awake at this hour?

I turned to head in for a camera just in case it was what I was starting to figure out. I pre-focused inside the house knowing my small digital wouldn't get a look in the near total darkness and headed back out out. I took one shot but it was horribly out of focus. I needed a flashlight to try and add to my chance of a shot. I headed back.

My wife had now gotten to the backdoor following my excited footsteps. When I tried to point out the bird behind me I turned and the shape was gone. I asked for a flashlight.

Moving down toward the tray feeder I could barely make out the shape now in the laurel tree just past the deck. Yep. A Screech Owl! I tried a couple of shots but the best I could manage was this.

Screech Owl

Seems I might not need that trap after all. I had a much better one right here. This was the first time I have ever seen a Screech Owl in this area. Farthest south in town at all.

Let the hunting begin, little owl. Eat up!