Author: John Pictrona

It appears there’s only one owlet this year.  I haven’t spent much time observing them,  but haven’t seen more than one – here’s a peek!

Turns out there’s more than one family of foxes inhabiting our property.

This momma appears to have two kits residing about 100 yards from the other family and about 50 yards from my house (and chickens).  One of these little kits was totally unafraid of me pulling my car up, getting out and taking pictures.

Feeding time around 5:30AM.

 

Scroll down to see the pictures of the red fox I posted earlier this year towards the end of winter – one came chasing a pheasant, the other was chasing the chaser some minutes later.  I saw the pheasant cross the river, then the fox following it, then the flush and escape of the bird.

Update to May 9th 2021. Momma has three kits and is using the culvert on my driveway (as past mothers – or this mother has in the past) as a den for her rambunctious brood.   I set this camera up to capture their antics, part of which turned out to be checking out the camera.

Enjoy!

Near the end of this second video you can see momma coming to check out the camera. She looks healthy – and I’m down at least two un-accounted for chickens…  The survivors will be educated, and much more wary of potential predators, being pretty much every moving being they encounter, save me.

 

Today I was moving some downed trees and was surprised by the mother Great Horned Owl flying from the nest. I hadn’t seen her as she is hiding while sitting on her eggs. I had visited the nest tree a couple of times, but she never moved so I thought she had picked another site for her nest. This shot was taken as she returned to the nest after being scared off.

They’re back!

 

They’re back! Have been hearing great horned owls hooting at night again. It’s breeding season for the owls as they want their young to be ready for the onslaught of tasty young critters!

Meanwhile, the cold is here and according to the weather guessers, it’s going to be here for at least a week.

These white tail deer are yearlings, following momma around and eating young tree buds and other forage.

 

Two red fox showed up near the end of January. One trailed the other by about 30 minutes.

These two looked pretty healthy, unlike some I see with mange.

“It’s a beautiful thing for mind, body, and spirit to take some time daily for reflection.” Anonymous

This morning the baby owls were no longer on their perch!  They’ve ventured out into the world to live out their destiny.  Let’s hope that brings good fortune to many!

This is the last photo I took of the young owls.  It sure was fun watching them grow, and exciting to have an apex predator so accessible for photos.

 

Thanks for following along!

Today it is expected to rain most of the day.  The young owls continue to stay on the willow tree on the Crow River.

Today the young great horned owls look in good health, still hanging out on the willow by the river.  One owl (the one that left the nest last) is larger than the other.   I expect they will begin to fly in another week or so.

Today the young owls were huddled together.   In this photo, the one that left the nest early was looking at Grace (owl on right in picture), while the late arrival was more interested in me.  I can’t seem to get near the early owl without it seeing me.  The late arrival is a bit bigger and is usually interested in the tree and leaves of the tree, but not me – that is until it notices me.   The early owl doesn’t let it’s sibling know about me however.  It doesn’t try to nudge or otherwise inform its sibling of my presence.

 

These chicken chicks are another matter.  As soon as one hears something “unusual” it will wake up the whole flock and if it’s really bad – the “shelter in place” croutching close to the ground and being very still… like when I start up my shop vac.  Here, they are just enjoying a rest under the heat lamp.