Peek-a-Boo

It's another first! Yesterday I showed you my first kestrel sighting and today I'm sharing my first great horned owl. This is an adorable baby peeking over the edge of his nest in Punta Gorda, located between Sarasota and Ft. Myers.  See his cute little ear tufts?  The last time I was visiting the bald eagle nest in North Ft. Myers, a freelance photographer tipped me off to this nest. The owls took it over in December when a bald eagle couple, which built the nest years ago, failed to return.  That's the modus operandi for the great horned owl -- they occupy unclaimed eagle nests, which is rather smart, I think.  Who wants to build a nest from scratch if you don't have to?  I knew exactly where this nest was located because I visited it three years ago and took these photos of the bald eagle family.  Back to the owls.  This little guy was such a treat to see.  He was just a big poof of fluffy feathers -- just adorable.  Unfortunately, I don't have much time to write, so I'll leave you with the promise of more owl pics to come.  That reminds me.  We're wading into March which is the busiest month of the year for me. So, if the SDP appearance becomes sporadic just know we'll eventually get back to posting as usual.  Happy Sunday!

Growing Up

Believe it or not, these are the baby hawks! At first, I wondered if a different hawk family had moved into the nest. Then I remembered it's been two weeks since I last saw them. They're now approximately four weeks old.  Aren't they big?

The little ones were on high alert watching several turkey vultures soaring overhead. They called and called, but neither Henry nor Henrietta responded or appeared. They were in the nest all alone. Suddenly, the vultures disappeared and the distinct sounds of Henry and Henrietta urgently calling filled the air for almost ten minutes. The songbirds stopped singing. The squirrels hid. Something was happening...but, what? Suddenly, Henry stealthily swooped into the nest just long enough to drop off a rodent...

...and then he was off...leaving the two little ones to fill their bellies on their own.

But, Henry and Henrietta's offspring do not like to share and this little guy was left without any food. So, he started calling again...and again...and again. But to no avail.

Apparently, hunger pains got the best of him and he attempted to swipe dinner from his sibling. A fracas ensued with wings flapping every which way.

The scuffle lasted a few minutes and thankfully no one appeared to be injured. The baby with the food held firm and made his way to the other side of the nest to devour his meal, but not in silence. His sibling started calling for Henry and Henrietta again. This time, though, his calls were much more pathetic sounding. I sure hope Hernry and Henrietta had a successful hunting trip and returned with dinner for him. Survival of the fittest sure is tough.  

New Arrival

Breaking News:   We're interrupting our series on Embracing Our Differences for a much anticipated announcement.  Henry and Henrietta, the red shouldered hawks, are proud parents of one fluffy little chick.

When I took these pics, he had the nest all to himself and appeared to be splitting his time between sudden naps (imagine him slowly slumping over) and introducing himself to the world.  We think he's approximately one week old.   Knowing how protective red shouldered hawks can be, I was especially careful with all my movements while taking these photos.

Because Henry and Henrietta never seem to be too far away.   This is Henrietta, looking like a proud mama,  perched on a limb about 15 feet up and over from the nest.  I'm so happy the little one finally arrived!  Bravo.