Category: Owls

Major Tom Tests His Wings

Timothy Price46 Comments

As you can see, Major Tom Peepers flew up into the crotch of the tree above the nest, leaving Sleepy and Mona Lisa below.

Mona Lisa: “Sleepy? What are we gonna do about Major Tom Peepers flying the coup?”

“Losers!”

Mona Lisa: “That was mean Major Tom!” Sleepy: “I’m going to try my wings!”

“That didn’t do anything! There’s Major Tom Peepers all proud of himself!”

Mama Owl up above.

“You two are pathetic!”

Daddy Owl in the next tree to the south.

Sleepy: “Who are you calling pathetic? You hurt Mona Lisa’s feelings.”

“Who me? I hurt Mona Lisa’s feelings. She’s too sensitive!”

“Sorry Mona!”

“Look here. I’m biting myself on the leg to make up for it!”

Major Tom Peepers finally flew back down and all three were watching for dinner at sunset.

Another photo of pre-sunset clouds I got on my first visit to the owlets this afternoon.

Tabatha Towhee Gets Some Grub

Timothy Price49 Comments

Tabatha Towhee was scratching around in the leaves a few feet in front of me getting some grub at sunset.

She had a real beak full before she flew off. I presume she is feeding wee tiny towhees close by.

Owlets backlit with Sleepy and Mona Lisa back in the hole.

Copper and white iris

Mama Owl catching a catnap while waiting for Daddy Owl to bring dinner.

The rose that took over. It’s a free, free-range rose that is freely ranging over the arch and fence next to where I park my car.

North view last night

Cloud Shapes

Timothy Price38 Comments

Three doves and a dragon.

Sunset nebula.

Intermission: Major Tom Peepers practicing his noble stances. Mona Lisa and Sleepy look on from the nest.

Ghostly

Snakebite, dragon and a bunny

Snakebite

Let Them Eat Duck

Timothy Price59 Comments

Major Tom Peepers out of the nest, Mona Lisa getting ready to get out of the nest.

All three owlets got out of the nest tonight. Sleepy finally got out but then fell back into the nest. Daddy Owl caught and something and brought it to Mama Owl. They tore it apart and then Mama Owl flew it over to the owlets and fed them. Dinner turned out to be a duck. It got too dark to get decent photos of the whole feeding, but Mama Owl tore pieces of the portion of the duck she had, gave the smaller pieces to Major Tom Peepers and Mona Lisa, and the largest portion to Sleepy. Sleepy is the runt, and Mama Owl is taking extra care of him. Since it’s late, I put the photos in a gallery that you can click on and have a slide show of the owlets getting out of the nest and the feeding.

¡Un Dos Tres¡ Pink Moon… NOT! Again!

Timothy Price74 Comments

One Owlet. Major Tom Peepers.

Two Owlets. Mona Lisa and Major Tom Peepers

Three Owlets. Mona Lisa, Major Tom Peepers and ????

How about Sleepy for the third Owlet?

Actually Major Tom Peepers ran out of steam, also.

Sweet dreams Major Tom Peepers.

Mona Lisa and Major Tom Peepers thought it was a little bright out as you can see them squinting in the next two photos.


Another year. Another no show for the Pink Moon. Marina had clicked on my Pink Moon post from last year and reminded me that tonight is April’s full moon (maybe April’s fool moon) known as the Pink Moon.

Cloud cover thwarted me again. The Pink Moon would have risen near the towers.

The extent of the pink southeast of the Sandias.

We got a slight big of clearing to the west.

Fuzzette

Timothy Price47 Comments

Under crystal clear, blue skies I made a very interesting discovery.

Fuzzette, Fuzzy, and Nora Owl

Fuzzy has a big sister, Fuzzette, who Nora Owl finally allowed to come out into the world so we can admire her beauty and cuteness.

Ducks in a row.

Fuzzette

Sucker

Fuzzy

Fish

Osric Owl napping in his outpost about 200 feet from Fuzzette, Fuzzy, and Nora Owl.

Bucky Bullfrog

Fuzzette

Marina’s Incognito Pear Tree looking rather pear-shaped.

Nora Owl napping with her ear tufts blowing in the wind.

And you thought Unicorns were equestrians!

Fuzzette is rather intense.

Tulip tortured by the heat and sun.

Fuzzy wide-eyed and presumably bushy tailed.

Lady Banks

Fuzzette has expressive eyes.

Tulip with a slight blush of pink.

Osric Owl doing ear tuft semaphore.

A sunny bunny.

¡Adios muchachos, muchachas!

Two Firsts and a Wet Skunk

Timothy Price56 Comments

I got water for my first irrigation tonight. It’s so dry the land soaks up the water for a long time before it keeps flowing. Furthermore, the water level in the acequia madre keeps fluctuating, which changes the water pressure. Between bone dry land and changing water pressure, it’s going to take a long time to get everything watered tonight. I may not get everything watered tonight.

That little fuzzy head in the darkness is Mama Owl’s and Daddy Owl’s new owlet sticking its head up for the first time to say “Hello world!” I was talking to Jim between calling the owlet and taking photos, and Jim asked “Why don’t they stick their heads up when it’s light?” I told him that owls like darkness.

Mama Owl and Daddy Owl in a cottonwood in the bosque looking for Junior’s dinner.

If anyone has suggestions for names for Junior, I’m open.

“¡Hola Mundo!”

The left fork in the Y in my irrigation ditch flows through a culvert where Scrappy Skunk was sleeping. Poor Scrappy was rudely awakened by the water and he came out one end of the pipe but got offended that I was videotaping him. He crawled back in the culvert, came out the other side, went back in, and stayed in the culvert until the water got too high and finally forced him out. He was an embarrassed wet skunk when he finally climbed out of the ditch and ran off. You can watch Scrappy Skunk in all his wet glory in the video below.

Tonight’s flowers, bunny and moon follow.

Beatrice Bunny