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Project Noah Nature School
Strix varia georgica
About 18 inches tall (estimated). The feathers were tan, rather than white and then brown. The eyes were black, and the camera reflected this. I saw it about 10:00am which is clearly daytime. The talons are visible on several of these shots. Five to eight Bluejays were going crazy squawking and flying in all the trees around this owl. One got particularly close and the owl turned its head 45 degrees to the right.
Woods, wooded swamps - I normally don't see this bird in my backyard, especially this time of the day, but the swamps are full and creeks are full given the rain we recently had, so perhaps the prey has moved to higher ground closer to my house? Also, there are at least 3 chipmunks that scurry around my yard, and I've seen some rats as well. So it's rich hunting ground.
He flew away silently. It was amazing. Look at the enlarged first one and you can see its yellow foot and SHARP talon.
Spotted on Oct 17, 2011
Submitted on Oct 17, 2011
27 Comments (1–25)
Hey Heather! I suggest you add this spotting to Christy Holland's expanded-range mission, "Raptors of North America." http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/8627...
Karen - I was looking for the woodpecker, out a window which I could hear...then it stopped pecking and the bluejays were all upset squawking...then silence. I found all birds including the woodpeckers- which I put in other posts on here.
I nearly fell over seeing this beauty.
Awesome! How to cool to see this in your backyard! I hear great horned owls most evenings & have repeatedly searched the woods for them without any luck!
Thanks Melissa. I sure was shocked to see it in my backyard.
Great photographs, Heather!
Greg, thanks. I totally got lucky on this one. It was a bit overcast and about 10am, much later than night-time. But there it was - hanging out in the tree in a shady spot in my yard. I researched online that the owls will hunt during the dusk/dawn and even into the morning if the nights are shorter or hunting was bad that night for whatever reason.
Good luck in your owl search!
Very nice series! Trying to locate some owls around where I live, but no luck yet.
Thanks Apple. I got lucky. He was out during the day.
I just love an owl and you have a fabulous set of spottings here!
KatCuff - thanks
Nice series!
Yes indeed, those of us who pay attention know a Bird Commotion is not something to ignore. I've 6 Blue Jays year round (more in the Spring) that can and do sound the alarm esp if cats are in the vicinity. i keep a couple of Ravens happy all Winter as well who are great alarmists as well.
The Barred Owl is getting some notoriety here...nice comparisons between Birdlady & Heather's Barred Owls.
Thank you,
The Barred Owl has a wide range of vocalizations, some even sounding like a barking dog. When we were canoeing the Bowron Lakes circuit in BC years ago, there were Barred Owls calling almost every night, even though we were at different campsites every night. When 2 of these owls start calling back and forth, it can really make the night alive!
Anyhow, it's a very memorable experience when an owl comes to visit in the daytime!!
Birdlady - I think it might have been the camera. I had it on a weird setting and didn't change it as I wanted to get as many shots I could of it before it flew away. It was tan/white where the picture makes it look more tan. It was sitting on a branch in a shadow and bright leaves and limbs were all around it throwing my camera colors off a bit I think.
Emma - it sounds like http://www.owlpages.com/sounds/Strix-var... for part of it. Then it makes different sounds. I hear about 5 minutes..then nothing. Over about a week - I've heard this when the sun has set and it is dark, 2 times. Around 9pm or so.
This is a good comparison to the Barred Owl that I had in my garden around 9 am last Friday. Your spotting is a much more tawny coloured individual (race?). Nice pics!
Does it sound like "who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all" ?
I have been hearing this call off and on for about a week. Not all night, just occasionally.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/barre...
You can hear them on this link.
Let me look at my collection of owls and i will let you know.
Emma - no, I did not know that. Do I have the ID wrong? I've never seen one in person, didn't hear it hoot or screech. I ID'd it from Stokes Field Guide to Birds, then Wikipedia.
BTW ,did you know that a Hoot Owl Screeches? and a Barn Owl Hoots?
looks like you real have a great variety of birds!!
I would not have noticed it but for the bluejays making all the commotion. It was camouflaged very well. Its main chest looks just like a dappled light tree trunk. Its beak looks like a folded leaf, and the eyes are invisible unless you see it move its head. Then - once you spot it, it flies away silently.
What luck!! owls are very elusive. i have been hearing them for so long ,but yet have to spot one!!
i saw one in the Lindsay museum. Real beauty. it loves taking showers!!