The Great Horned Owl, AKA The Tiger Owl ©

An update on one of the owl families...

These owlets are a few weeks old and can now be left alone while both adults hunt at twilight.  There is a third owlet but not in these pictures--must be hiding.  

They will remain in the nest for about six weeks, then find a nearby branch.

The young start roaming from the nest to nearby branches at six or seven weeks, when they are called "branchers", but they cannot fly well until nine or ten weeks. 

The Great Horned Owl has long earlike tufts, an intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and a deep hooting voice--a well known series of "Hoo H'hoos!  They are adaptable birds and live from the Arctic to South America.  They are at home in suburbia as well as in woods and farmlands.

(Copyright 2015)

Purple and Blue, Shake Those Tail-feathers! ©

This bird is born to run. 

The Greater Roadrunner can outrun a human, kill a rattlesnake, and thrive in the harsh, hot landscape of the Southwest Desert.

The lighting was just right to capture the special coloration of the tail feathers of this roadrunner.  But this isn't necessarily a male because of the beautiful colors--the male and female look alike. 

A crest of brown feathers sticks up on the head, and a bare patch of orange and blue skin lies behind each eye but the blue is replaced by white in the adult male.  

Roadrunners like to sunbathe. 

They ruffle their back feathers to allow the sunlight to warm their skin below.

This pre-historic desert-dweller is a puzzle--what is going on with this roadrunner?  Did you know that the roadrunner is a member of the cuckoo family?

(Copyright 2015)

Oh My, What BIG Ears You Have! ©

The Black-tailed Jackrabbit (also known as the American desert hare) just has the need for speed! 

If you get too close he'll launch into an impossible long leap, not touching the ground for 15 feet,  

and then dash away in a zigzag pattern, reaching up to 35 miles per hour.

You will most often see this desert resident in the early morning, frozen next to a sage bush, ears up and eyes wide.  The long ears, which are almost translucent when the light hits them just right, helps him detect the sounds of a potenial predator but also gives the many blood vessels inside his ears plenty of room to cool the blood, which helps prevent overheating in the harsh, hot landscape of the desert.

But if you are lucky and quick you may catch him resting and a little off guard.  This guy was actually in a dry wash under the shade of an old turpentine plant. 

My good fortune to get this great shot!

(Copyright 2015)

The Boids are Back in Town! ©

Once again it is that time of the year when the question is asked: Will they be back?  

Everyone waits and wonders if the owls will return to let us enjoy watching their owlets grow into healthy, strong owls!

And the anwers is:  Yes, both sets of the proud parents are back with mom sitting on eggs and dad providing food and keeping an eye on his soon to be family...

Family one has three healthy looking owlets!

Looks like it is right out of its egg shell!

Very protective mom

Very tired mom

Family two has only one healthy looking owlet.  When mom is sitting on eggs, she is very low in the nest.

Once the eggs are hatched, mom seems to be sitting higher in the nest. She sat there and sat there while we were all wondering when these owlets would hatch.  

It was a worry for a while because it was said that the dad owl was found dead on the golf course (presumed poisoned just like the owlet 3 years ago)

Anyone who uses poison to get rid of the packrats needs to consider that carcasses are picked up by other animals and eaten.  The snakes are here in the desert to take care of the rodents so those who kill the snakes need to think twice. 

A bit shy with good reason, it is all by itself!

Watch for more pictures as the four owlets grow!

(Copyright 2015)