Sitting in the nest (click on the pic)
Keeping watch
These pictures were taken Saturday at Honeymoon Island. We've been lucky every year to see the owls and this time was even better seeing them nesting.
Some cool Great Horned Owl facts I found on the web:
Size: 18- 24 in.
Wingspan: 40-57 in.
GHOs mate for life, beginning at two years of age.
The female typically lays a clutch of 2 to 3 eggs each year in the spring.
Both male and female take turns sitting on the eggs for about a month.
The Great Horned Owl will take large prey, even other raptorial birds. It will also regularly kill and eat other owls.
11 comments:
Fantastic shots! We have great horned owls here on the farm, but they nest way at the back and we almost never see them.
How lucky for you! Those are great photos, did you get to hear them HOOT? I love to hear them, I rarely see them though, thanks for sharing!!
AAHHH! You lucky dog! We still haven't seen the GHO we've been stalking and there you have daylight pics. I'm so jealous! LOL
Aren't they just stunning? I'm officially in love with them.
Oh I think Sandcastle and I will just have to punch you! We have been trying to get photos of ones near us and then look at you!
Great series! I'm not jealous at all ;)
Wow!!!
Great pictures. National Geo is going to be knocking on your door.
Child, you amaze me. I'm really homesick now.
You get dolphins, owls and what do I get??? Weather prediction for next three days is ice. so, if you call and can't get thru, don't worry. I'm on myway.
love you, mom
Threecollie, how much land do you have there on the farm?
Darla, no, the one woke up long enough to preen a little, then it was back to sleep.
ScMomma, I was thinking of you the whole time!
Lisa, lol!! You crack me up!
Mom, It's been in the upper 70's here with sun, sun, sun! ;0
It's so funny that you posted this because recently I've been trying to find out what owl makes this noise that I keep hearing. From listening to different audio clips of owls in the North Florida area, I'm pretty sure it's a great horned owl b/c the hooting is the same. However at night this owl wakes me up all the time with it's hoots and then right after the hoots it does some crazy trilling noises that I've never heard before and can't identify! I enjoy following your blog and you seem to know much more about Florida's wildlife than I do. Do you know what I'm talking about with the hooting-cooing-trilling noise? I've heard it probably 10 times in the past year already and every time it freaks me out b/c it sounds so unnatural.
Those are pretty cool. I like the look on its face in the third photo! It's like "o.O What are you doing taking a picture of me!?" :P
Amy, I'm wondering if it's a male/female mating call?
I'll look for more info today.
Holly, it does! He wasn't to happy when some people on the trail went passed me with a dog. After that, it was back to preening.
Great shots of such a beautiful bird.
Amy, if you get a chance head over to owlpages.com. They have a great collection of audio clips.
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