The Blob

Driving down a fairly deserted gravel road deep in swamp country near the Everglades, I spotted this  brown blob in the middle of the road, which hadn't been there 15 minutes earlier.  My first thought was...BABY GATOR!   But, as I got closer, it didn't move.  So, then, I thought it was a small pile of palm fronds.  No...and...no!  It was a barred OWL -- just sitting there.  Naturally, the Junior Editor and I  suspected it was hurt and immediately started contemplating how we could rescue it, once we pulled off the road.  Moments after turning off the car engine, this happened.... 

(Click play.  The video will play.  There just isn't a thumbnail preview.)

The owl flew a short distance to a tree...apparently not injured at all!  So, I scrambled to get out the 'ol Canon.

I successfully snapped this one quick shot before -- of all things -- a dump truck rumbled by and scared it away. (Odd seeing the owl sitting in the road...and odd for a dump truck to be there in the middle of nowhere -- although the crew was making some needed repairs to the gravel road.)  Fascinating encounter!  Wish we could've had more time with the owl, but happy the SDP team was able to document this activity.  Hope everyone is doing well in the Blogosphere!

Dinner Time!

RAT!  It's what's for dinner!

This photo was taken just moments after this barred owl pounced on a rat climbing on that very tree branch.  I couldn't believe it!  I always imagined owls swooping down and snatching a rodent or rabbit from the ground and carrying it away in its talons.  But, this guy landed on this branch...sat there for a minute...swiveled his head once...and then...WHAM!  Dinner's ready!  Very exciting for this wildlife photographer! I wonder if the owl heard the rat scurrying on the bark from a short distance away and then landed here in preparation for the hunt. Sure makes me glad I'm not a rat.  Or an owl having to hunt my dinner.  

Tucked Away

With it being overcast last night for the first time in awhile, I thought maybe the barred owls would be out early at the neighborhood park. Bingo! This handsome fellow was contentedly tucked in a tree roosting, with a human family running around nearby making a lot of noise. (Being camouflaged so well, the family never saw him.) I ended up having quite an incredible encounter with this guy, his mate and two little ones. Nothing like observing a family of four owls at dinner time! (That's definitely foreshadowing a SDP post!) Although I saw and heard the two juveniles, they were very good at hiding. I'll post more as time permits. Hope everyone is having a good week so far!

I Spy

This is the final installment of our Everglades National Park tour.  This is Pa-hay-okee Overlook just before sunset. Swamp and wilderness stretch for miles on end. It's simultaneously, beautiful and peaceful -- and a bit creepy knowing all the reptiles and other creatures that call this area home. We left the overlook with a hint of a daylight left -- and, it's a good thing we did!

As we drove away, I spotted something alongside the road!  The SDP Junior Editor gets an 'A' for creativity.  Rather than risk scaring away the wildlife by opening/closing a car door, she popped her head through the sunroof to get a better look.

She had a great vantage point! 

Dusk was rapidly setting in.  But, there was no question what was perched in that tree so close to the road.

A barred owl!  And, it seemed very curious about the activity on the road. Somehow I was able to quickly and quietly set up my tripod.  And, maxing out the ISO, I was able to squeeze out this shot.   What fun!  Believe it or not, this is how our brief excursion to the Everglades ended -- very memorable. Looking forward to returning!  

Anhinga Trail

The most popular trail at Everglades National Park is the Anhinga Trail.  It's an easy walk along a boardwalk around an open swamp area.  The vistas are quite nice.  

Of course, you never know what you're walking near…or over. It's wise to keep your eyes open…and camera at the ready.

This is an anhinga -- the trail's namesake.  These are the birds that many times are seen with their wings spread out, drying, after plunging into the water for a meal.  Since it was late spring when the SDP team visited, I suspect most of the migratory birds, like the pretty roseate spoonbills, had already left.  So, we're already sharpening our pencils and planning a return trip in January or February.

Adjacent to the Anhinga Trail is the Gumbo Limbo Trail.   This one goes through the woods around many gumbo limbo trees and others.  We made a point to hit this trail after a particularly helpful National Parks volunteer randomly told me a barred owl nest is located there.  He even marked it on a map -- without me asking.  At the time, I thought it was bit odd.  Why would the volunteer want to direct tourists to a nest?  Well, once we saw the trail, I realized immediately it was so dense with foliage it would be nearly impossible to find an owl nest.  And then…I heard it call!  Again…and again.  Then, it went silent.  Darn!  I've seen several barred owls here in Sarasota…but, I was on a mission to find this particular rascal.  After walking around for a few minutes about ready to give up, amazingly, maybe 30 yards deep into the thick brush there he was….sitting  in a tree watching me.  He was  tucked in so far it was difficult to get a clear shot.  But, we were able to point him out to a couple visiting from Germany who we had met on the other trail -- and they were pretty excited. Success! The Everglades journey will continue...

Wise One

Believe it or not, I had given up on seeing any wildlife at Myakka State Park last Saturday evening, when I encountered this barred owl. It was a beautiful evening and the park was filled with families, so most of the wildlife had opted to go into hiding. I couldn't have imagined I would have an excellent opportunity to use two new pieces of camera equipment I received for Christmas: a tripod with a ball head and a remote control. 

As I was driving out of the park, an owl flew right over the hood of my car --- and landed in a tree top about 35 yards away in the woods. Yes! By the time I had quietly positioned myself to get a good shot, I realized I was almost directly under the bird -- a perfect situation to use the new tripod.  (It was quite exciting to shoot almost vertically on a tripod.)  To minimize camera shake, I used the remote control.  And…voila!   The owl seemed very curious about what I was doing.  Unfortunately, the fading sunlight resulted in washed out colors.  So, I converted the image to black and white.  Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Hooty Hooooo!

By the time I arrived at Myakka River State Park last Friday evening, it was already dusk and I didn't expect any real photo opportunities. Then, I spotted a family standing next to a truck pointing up at the trees.  Curiosity getting the best of me, I pulled over.  As I grabbed my camera gear from the trunk, I heard the distinct call of a barred owl.  Sure enough, one owl could be seen roosting adjacent to the road.  (Several others were nearby but could only be heard.) Just enough daylight remained to squeeze out a fairly decent shot (with the ISO cranked all the way up and the camera on a tripod).  The family was really nice and we speculated 3-4 barred owls were nearby.   All of us (from a grandpa to a youngster under 10) were captivated by the owls' calls.   In fact, every time they caterwauled, our eyes grew big and we all giggled -- because we were so surprised by the unusual sounds.  If you'd like to hear it, I recorded a bit with my iPhone.  Just click here.  I've never heard so many owls -- with such a variety of calls.  What a hoot!  And, what a great, unexpected encounter.

Hunting Mode

I've been meaning to post this series of pics featuring the barred owl family since I took them a few weeks ago at Myakka River State Park. Mama owl was sitting on the ground and appeared to be in hunting mode staring and staring at the ground.

 Dusk was nearing and as soon as the last of the visitors observing the barred owl family left (except for yours truly -- the entire SDP team is very dedicated), mama owl flew a short distance to the sidewalk where she pawed her wickedly sharp talons at something on the ground.

She squished her cute little face against the pavement and picked up whatever it was. Perhaps a small  snake?  A gecko?  A beetle?  

Mama immediately flew to a branch and fed the mystery meal to one of the little ones.  Whatever it was, it was small.  And, from the looks of it, the baby owl wasn't too satisfied with the tidbit.  As I mentioned, these pics were taken a few weeks ago.  Since then, I've returned to the nest area several times, but it appears both babies have fledged and disappeared.  (There was an unsubstantiated rumor that one of the babies was sick and died.  But, based on my observations, both little ones were healthy…and I think both left the nest.)  I'm so happy I got to see the owls when I did.  What a treat!

Kowabunga!

From the time I arrived at the nest area, this little one was rambunctious…very inquisitive…and ready to explore.  It seemed much more advanced than its sibling, which led some of us to ponder whether this one is a girl.  Thus, the upcoming usage of the pronoun 'she'.

While Mom roosted in a nearby tree, one of her two babies cried, bounced, bobbed, flapped its wings, walked up and down branches, and cried some more. Mom didn't seem to care.

When she paused and crouched with an intense 'I Can Do It' look,  I sensed she was gearing up for an adventure.  Something big.  Really big.  And, then...

KOWABUNGA! 

She leaped a good distance to another tree, nailing the landing by extending her claws and tucking her wings like she had done it many times before.  (The SDP editorial board had a lively debate as to whether this photo was blog-worthy due to the poor quality; however, the storyline won.)  I thought that was her big adventure…until awhile later she unexpectedly flew to the ground -- just 10 feet or so away from me.  The light was so low I gave up on still photos and opted for video...

After her brief yet exciting adventure seeing life from the ground up, she confidently marched up a tree to a safe location.  During the excitement, I wondered where Mama Owl was lurking.  Surely, she had to be nearby.   Within moments of Baby returning safely to the tree, she swooped in and nuzzled the little one and gave her a quick once over.  Safe and sound.  So precious.  What an adventure!

Happy Family

Well, I couldn't resist going back to visit the barred owl family!  They're absolutely fascinating to watch. We have so much material that the SDP Editor-in-Chief lifted our standard guidelines and today we're having a Monday Special, posting not one but three photos plus a video. 

I arrived at the park early in the evening Saturday when the sun was still up (these owls, though, like to roost in the shade, so it will forever be a lighting challenge with them).  Two other photographers as well as a very pleasant local couple were on hand watching the family.  The adult owl (we're all assuming it's the mother) didn't seem to mind us at all. (This is a stark contrast to the behavior of red shouldered hawks which will dive bomb interlopers until they leave the nest area.) The mama owl sat in a tree by herself, and at one point flew to a branch just 10-15 feet from me.  Isn't she gorgeous?!  Her markings blend right in with the tree and surrounding area.  She didn't appear upset that her two little ones were crying for dinner in two separate trees nearby.

This fuzzy little guy was making most of the racket. Absolutely adorable, isn't he?! I can't help but smile looking at him.  He was quite curious, craning his head down to watch those who were watching him.  At one point, he even splayed his entire fluffy body on the branch and peered below to see what was going on.

And, this is mama with the other little one.  She flew over for a visit and the baby seemed fairly content since she was so close.  That is, until its sibling would cry (as you can hear on the video below) then, occasionally, this one would join the pathetic cacophony wondering when dinner would be served. 

It's amazing something so fuzzy and cute can make such a screeching sound. The SDP crew is having a great time with this family.  So much, that we ended up going back last night too.  We have oodles of pics to go through…including some close encounters with mama and one of the babies. It's remarkable to experience this young bird of prey family up close and in the wild.  An added bonus to all this has been meeting a really nice couple who are locals and are as excited about observing the owl family as I am.  Welcome to SDP, Janie and Joe!  Hope everyone has a terrific Monday.

Who Goes There?

I spotted this adult barred owl and baby (hiding behind the leaves to the left) last night at Myakka State Park after getting a hot tip from a nice birding couple visiting from Delaware. We met at the birdwalk, where it was relatively quiet as far as birds go, so I tipped them off to a small group of wild boar that I encountered earlier on my way through the park. After chatting some more about birds, our conversation wrapped up and they were saying goodbye. And, that's when a distinct thought popped into my head: 'Ask them about the highlight of their birding trip.' So I did. The man's eyes shot wide open and he exclaimed, "The barred owls! Oh, the family of barred owls we saw! Here! Today! At the park!" Next thing you know, they gave me perfect directions to the nest, saying "One good tip deserves another." Isn't that something?!  When I arrived at the nest, the light was low and the owls were eating. (I was a bit shocked to see them devouring a bird carcass, since I thought barred owls stuck to a strict diet of small mammals and reptiles. But, my trusty "Birds of Florida Field Guide" confirmed that they do indeed eat small birds.  Ah, life in the wild.) I maxed the ISO on my Cannon at 3200, and managed to squeak out a couple of shots when they weren't moving.  A return visit with better natural light is now on my to do list!  Have a great weekend.