Pictrona – an online storybook!

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.

This morning the young owl that originally stayed in the nest has now joined the young owl that ventured off the nest earlier.  Add a parent and that makes it three!

Today several pictures – the baby owls are getting close to flight.  I saw this little one jump about a foot with it’s wings out from one branch to another this morning.  It won’t be much longer until they’re off to explore the bigger world.

 

As I sat near the river this morning a pair of young white tail deer snuck up on me.  They smelled me, but couldn’t figure out where I was, so one decided to go back from where they came, and the other (one looking at me) decided to continue on another path.

 

White tail deer – young buck.

 

White tail deer walking off into the woods.

 

Funniest thing I’ve seen in a while – a great blue heron running after a fish.  It looked like a big awkward “Big Bird” running!

Great Blue Heron running to catch a fish!

 

It caught that fish, about 9 inches long.  I think it was a small northern pike.

Great Blue Heron – caught fish.

 

Unlike catching a bullhead or small catfish where the fish’s spines can cause serious internal injuries and are therefor bludgeoned to death before swallowing, a pike can just be swallowed head first without much worry.

Great Blue Heron swallowing fish.

Great Blue Heron swallowing fish.

Great Blue Heron – shaking after a big meal.

 

I was walking and this great blue heron saw me just as it landed along the Crow River.   They have very good vision and need a lot of space to take off, so they can be hard to photograph.  This time I was able to capture a few shots of a great blue heron takeoff.

Great Blue Heron – just landed and saw me!

 

Great Blue Heron – a jump with wings spread to get started.