Wednesday June 4 2014
Up one crick is a glorious nest of Ravens. They grew from four all-mouth featherless squeakers,
to four almost-grown shrieking juveniles about to leave the nest.
One parent always flies out of the tree whenever she sees me approaching - as if I won't notice the big nest with the four giant no-longer-raven-babies spilling over the sides. The siblings are quiet as I stand there shooting pictures and talking to them; they pretend I can't see them. I'm thrilled I have my secret nest of Ravens nearby!
Up the other crick, great horned owls and red-tailed hawks nested within 20 yards of each other (!). Granted, the cover from the cottonwoods is thick and divine, and the two probably probably have a wary truce, but I find it interesting they chose to nest in the same grove - particularly when you add the kestrels - a small hawk - to the mix, who are nesting between the two big birds of prey. The great horned owls nested earliest; the red-tails were next; then the kestrels. What possessed these little hawks to nest right in the midst of this bad-ass neighborhood is beyond me!
As I studied the hawk baby (which looked rather vulture-like at this stage),
it disturbed the hawk parents, one of which flew over and around me again and again - and was consequently chased again and again by a kestrel. Kestrels are most territorial when they are nesting. They have no problem attacking a large bird of prey to protect their nest or young.
I moved to the next trees to check out the great horned owls. An adult always flushes when I come near; one always stays, and I'm lucky if I can find him in the foliage (the adult is the top picture).
I never saw a nest this spring; but I probably should have figured out that the pair of great horned owls were hanging out together after breeding season because they did breed and produce young.
Here's one baby I spied, which has already fledged. There could be more owl babies; but with all the bird brouhahas I'd already stirred up, I didn't want to disturb anymore.
SO COOL. Your bird pics are irresistible!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures! I'm surprised at how many you got.
ReplyDeletewow! pretty amazing avian activity you have! awesome!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou have a lot of interesting bird action in your area. Great photos!
ReplyDeleteAmazing. You are right, it certainly is an interesting neighborhood. Wonder if there was some kind of "birds of prey special" in the avian real estate market in that area? *G*
ReplyDeleteOh how exciting to be able to see all of these birds! What wonderful pictures. Thanks for sharing nature with us! :-)
ReplyDeleteawesome action pics merri!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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