Once in a lifetime
Pulled over for the photo
Owls cute as always
Osric Owl’s outlook
Nora Owl and the youngest owlet.
Nora Owl looking at the sunset. The owlets looking at the pesky paparazzo.
The sunset Nora Owl was looking at.
Once In A Lifetime
Tag: owlets
A Noble Beast
I was out visiting with Osric and Nora Owls (the owlets pretty much ignored me) when I saw two coyotes on the top of the levee and six or more on the lower part of the levee on the other side of the ditches running at top speed. I was trying to catch the action through the trees when this coyote stopped like, “Whoa! Paparazzo on the prowl. I better look my best!” She stopped and gave me her best noble beast look. Then I saw a couple on the top of the levee and yelled over to them and asked if they had seen the coyotes. They said one coyote ran out of the clearwater ditch, and then eight coyotes started chasing it like they were trying to kill it. I thought the coyote that was in the ditch might have caught something, and the others wanted to take it from him. Ms. Noble Beast doesn’t look like she’s been missing many meals.
Osric Owl snoozed behind a tangle and then enjoyed the sunset.
Nora Owl gave me a squint like Clint! “Is that Bazooka going to make me look fat?”
Eye of Owlet
Psst! Don’t look now, but there’s that stupid paparazzo on the ditch bank again.
As I was heading home, I heard my name being called. One of the Alpacas had its head stuck in the fence. I walked back, and sure enough, there was one of the Alpacas with its head through one of the wire squares in the fence, looking very stuck and rather sad. We tried to help the Alpaca get his head back through the fence, and as we pushed back, he pushed forward. He was stubborn. Meanwhile, two coyotes were on the top of the levee watching our goings-on with great interest. After we stretched the wire apart as much as possible, we gave up, stood back on the ditch bank, and watched the Alpaca. After a few minutes of not getting any more attention, it pulled its head back through the wire. I think it was acting stuck to get attention.
While we were talking, Osric flew over into the bosque, and I grabbed this shot of him.
By the time I got back to our property after all the ditch bank drama, it was dark. I got a shot of Venus and The Pleiades with my 70-200mm zoom lens. Venus and The Pleiades are too far apart to get them in the frame with the Bazooka.
Easter Sunday Surprise
Happy Easter! Glenda showed her respect by lying down with the bunny and the lamb.
Osric is a wily old owl. He misled me on where I suspected Nora Owl and the owlets might be. Last night I walked down to see Osric after sundown.
After a good been of negotiation between us, Osric flew over to a tree on the other side of the tree where I thought Nora and the Owlets might be.
Nora came out of a tree closer to the ditch bank, and an owlet popped its little head up. I was so close to them, I couldn’t get Nora into the frame using the Bazooka.
Nora took off before I could change cameras, and the owlet looked up as Mama silently flew away.
Two little owlets stared at me from the nest. Happy Easter Owls!
Moon And Darkness
Dawn
Last night’s clouds. Do you see a face?
The moon finally made it through the clouds last night.
Last night’s moon at 92.4% full.
Paul is on the left and Peter is on the center-right.
We got out to the owls later than normal last night. At first, we could only find Peter and Paul. Mary finally showed up when it was too dark to focus. She’s in the last two photos with Peter.
The fading colors of dusk from last night.
Tonight’s moon finally rose above the clouds.
Tonight’s moon at 97.6% full.
Sunset tonight with rain that evaporates before it hits the ground.
Owlets Banking
After totally clear skies all day yesterday, a few clouds gathered at dusk for the painter to paint.
Peter with a moon halo last night.
I walked outside to photograph the moon and got clouds covering the moon. Maybe it will clear up later so I can get the moon.
The owlets were banking on the top of the levee and down on the bank along the clearwater ditch last night. Paul flew up into a tree on the other side of the Clearwater ditch and Mama Owl brought him something to eat and then flew off to go back to Wowlmart as quickly as she flew in. When it was almost dark Mama Owl came back with either a bat or a mouse. She perched close to me just long enough for me to get a photo of her, then she took off at warp speed.
Let Them Eat Snake
Clear and hot today. 103ºF (39.4ºC), not a cloud in the sky.
Peter, Paul, and Mary together at dusk.
Like typical teenagers, PP&M are easily distracted. It took a lot of effort to get all three to look at the camera.
Paul seems to be acting like he’s feeding Mary while Peter looks at other things.
All three in a tangle of branches. Paul moved down to a lower branch, and Peter flew over to the other side of the Tangle Heart Tree.
Daddy Owl showed up with a snake, perched on a branch below Peter, and started doing his “I’m back from Wowlmart, honey!” hoot for Mama Owl to come and take the snake. While he was waiting for form Mama, he was messing with the snake that started out wrapped around Daddy Owl’s leg.
Mama Owl landed on the Tangle Heart Tree with something in her beak. Daddy Owl flew over to the Tangle Heart Tree and land with the snake dangling from his beak. Before Mama Owl could hop up to where Daddy Owl was and make the exchange, Peter flew over to Daddy Owl to get the snake.
A lot of flapping of wings and gnashing of beaks took place before Peter secured the snake in his beak.
Mama Owl started up toward Peter, and Daddy flew back to Wowlmart. Mama seemed like she was trying to get Peter to take her morsel, but Peter was saying “But Mama! Can’t you see I have a snake?” Mama finally flew off and left Peter to eat his snake.
Mama flew over to a tree she often perches on by our gate to the ditch and watched the lingering colors fade away.
Sunset colors and the moon in the Tangle Heart Tree last night.
The moon at 84.8%
Felines, Roses & Dragonflies
Loki and Glenda
Spunk
Peter, Paul, and Mary
Moon at 75.6% full
Hello Hello Hello
My friendly computer screens
For my just-in-time delivery of today’s photos, I have a new office dog, flowers, roses, and the half-moon.
Baby
Spunk behind Petunias, Pillow Fight, and Iceberg
Rio Samba, Mermaid, and Altissimo
Iceberg
Mary and Paul. Mama Owl after she delivered a mouse to Peter.
Mama Owl flew back and forth with food for the owlets three times while we were out with them last night. It was dusk, and she was giving the owlets their meals behind a mess of leaves, so I couldn’t get the exchanges of food, but Peter was proud of his mouse and acted like he had a mouse cigar in his beak for quite a while before he finally ate it.
Sunset last night
Halfmoon at 54.8%
Two To Tangle Heart
Mary and Paul on the Tangle Heart Tree
For the summer schedule, there will be a mix of photos from yesterday and today. By the time I get finished photographing owls at dusk and sunset colors, it’s what used to be my bedtime. If I stay up processing photos taken at dusk and later, it ends up going on midnight by the time I get photos processed and posted. Today’s photos of the owls, sunset, and moon in orange clouds were taken last night. The moon at 44.3% full was taken this afternoon.
How many owlets can you find in the above photo?
Mary and Paul in the Tangle Heart tree under colored clouds and the moon.
Paul
Mama Owl brought Paul a snack of some type and then flew off in search of more.
Mary
Sunset last night.
The moon this afternoon at 44.3% full
Getting Their Wings
Daddy Owl in silhouette at dusk.
Peter, Paul, and Mary were really testing their wings tonight. Peter and Mary were in the Tangle Heart Tree when I walked up to it tonight. Paul was on the ground hopping around about 100 yards south of the Tangle Heart Tree. Mary flew into the bosque and ended up with Paul after he flew back u into the trees. Peter flew into the bosque, back to the Tangle Heart Tree, and then into the bosque again. All three were very active while waiting for Mama and Daddy to bring them food.
Peter
Paul on the Ground
Paul after he flew back into the bosque.
Mary barfed a pellet from the Tangle Heart Tree, and then she flew over to where Paul was.
Peter and Mary in the Tangle Heart Tree.
I finished the roof over the deck this morning. The deck is several degrees cooler than the outside temperature with the new roof. The cats are happy to have the deck back.
Sunset
Dusk
Clouds descending on the moon.
Moon through the cloud cover.
Wide-view of the moon in the clouds.
Off Center & Not Even 