While out birding it was a nice surprise to come across a Barred Owl perched in a tree. It did not seem to mind me being there and was looking around while I took a photo of it. A day with some sun early with mild temps of 28 degrees and no wind. Image was taken on January 18, 2023.
Doing some general birding in Milwaukee County I spotted a Barred Owl. Surprisingly I had already walked passed this owl not noticing it but some Black-capped Chickadees were together on a small tree and it rang a bell in my head that their presence might mean a owl is close by. It was true, as I turned my head around backwards where I had just walked there was a Barred Owl looking at me. With my short stop watching the the owl it seemed preoccupied with watching something off in a distance in another direction, maybe it’s next meal? It was a mostly cloudy day with temps around 36 with no wind. Images were taken on December 30, 2022.
The Barred Owl when I saw it…
The Barred Owl was always looking to another location, not at me, maybe thinking about the next meal…
It seemed relaxed…not a worry in the world…
On a birding run I found a pair of Great Horned Owls just doing what they do, perched pretty in Waukesha County. It was a day of snow flurries with cool temps in the mid 20’s. Image was taken on December 22, 2022.
While out birding I came across a Long-eared Owl just perched pretty. I took a couple of quick photos and off I went. It was a beautiful day for November with temps around 40 degrees, full sun and with winds that kicked up once in a awhile. Images were taken on November 21, 2022.
While out doing some everyday birding I stumbled across a red morph Eastern Screech-Owl. What a surprise to be walking slowly through some woods and to look up and see this bird up in a tree right in front of you but only the back of it at first. Backing off and circling around to the front of this bird at a distance it gave a couple of hard to get quick photos before leaving the area quietly. Nice to see a Screech Owl out a tree cavity for a change. This owl would have been so easy to miss but I just happened to look up at the right time. First sighting this fall-winter of a screech-owl for me. This bird has not been reported that I know of. A cloudy day with low winds. Images were taken on November 16, 2022.
When I first saw this owl up in the tree…
Birding about this Barred Owl was found as expected at a known location but with some fresh snow surrounding it. A nice mild morning with some sunshine made for a nice photo opportunity. A quick photo and I left this area. Image was taken on February 26, 2022.
Barred Owl with the fresh snow…
As I walked one of my birding spots in Milwaukee County coming over a hill I spotted a Great Horned Owl watching me from a distance. The owl was high up in a broken off large tree just staring at me like they do, assuming it is on a nest. I found it’s mate off in a distant spruce tree and viewable to the owl on the nest. I was a nice day with plenty of sun low winds but cool. Image was taken on February 25, 2022.
The Great Horned Owl on the nest…
The 2nd Great Horned Owl off in a distant spruce tree watches the nest…
Birding this location in the past has produced Barred Owls so it was nothing new to see one perched in a tree quiet as a mouse today. Always nice! A pleasant mild morning temperature wise but cloudy with temps around 34 degrees. Images were taken on February 21, 2022.
The Barred Owl sitting so quietly…
I was in search of Red or White-winged Crossbills this morning and it was a nice surprise to come across a pair of Long-eared Owls. This location is not where other Long-eared Owls have been photographed, reported, or roosting recently in the state. One of the owls was more in the open for photos so a took a couple. The other owl was in some thick pine branches not up for a photo. With the bright sunny day in the dark pines, it was not easy to capture the amazing moment with the Long-eared Owls. These owls were watching me as I quietly left the area. It was a bright sunny day and finally a little warmer temps, high near 32 degrees with light winds. Images were taken on January 31, 2022.
The Long-eared Owl…
Taking a closer look at a distance after finding the owl…
White wash from an owl…
When my eyes first spotted this bird in the tree at about 30 feet…too small for a Great Horned Owl, too big for a Saw-whet Owl…has to be a Long-eared Owl…
This owl totally ignored my presence, and I just ignored it too after a few of shots and left the area…
A nice find, a pair of Eastern Screech Owls in Southeastern Wisconsin, a red and gray morph. They looked so cute snuggled together on a cold morning, 12 degrees at the time the photo was taken. Image was taken on January 21, 2022.
One of my stops birding along the Milwaukee Lakefront produced a nice, but distant views and shots of a Snowy Owl. Always a beautiful bird! It appears to be a female bird. I typical winter day with temps in the upper teens, low winds made for a nice morning out. Images were taken on January 4, 2021.
One of my birding stops today produced a surprise Long-eared Owl perched 5 feet off the ground. It remained still for about 5 minutes, was not even looking at me, I was very quiet, it must have been eyeing up some food. After about 5 minutes passed, it turned its head and looked at me and I took a few shots. It was a cloudy day with some wind, cold temps around 30 degrees. Images were taken on December 23, 2021.
When I found the Long-eared Owl…it remained looking in that direction for about 5 minutes…
Another shot of when I came upon this owl…
I made a trip to the Milwaukee Lakefront early in the morning in search of Snowy Owls. Present was a hatch year male Snowy Owl at Lakeshore State Park. Another owl was on a pier dock at Discovery World close to Lakeshore SP. The owl at Lakeshore State Park was flushed when a couple of fishermen unknowingly scared it off coming into the area the owl was. It was a cloudy and windy morning with temps around 38 degrees. It was a cloudy and windy morning with temps around 38 degrees. Images were taken on November 24, 2021.
A hatch year male sits on a rock at Lakeshore State Park…
It takes to the sky when fisherman unknowingly walk into the area…
At the pier…a female
Driving along a road in Waukesha County I spotted a Great Horned Owl off in a distance perched in a tree. I stopped and took a couple of shots from the drivers seat. I’m assuming another adult or owlets were nearby as the owl was looking at a couple of locations nearby on and off. I did not hang around, and continued on my trip. It was a pleasant morning out with temps starting at 40 degrees checking out a few warbler locations in the area. Warblers were around but not in high numbers. Images were taken on May 9, 2021.
The Great Horned Owl…
Looking over to another area were a possible owlet might be…
The other location the Great Horned Owl starred when I was there…
On a fairly well traveled street in Milwaukee County sits an Eastern Screech Owl, gray morph perched in a tree. Seemed like no worries in the world for this beauty that appeared to be sleeping while I was there. A nice spring day with the sun, but temps were still a little on the cool side. Images were taken on March 5, 2021
The Eastern Screech Owl from a distance….
A closeup…
While out birding one of my stops today was to check on a nest that Red-tailed Hawks used last year. I was curious to see if they were on the nest yet. To my surprise a Great Horned Owl was sitting on it like it owned the place. Typically Great Horned Owls will use nests from other birds such as a Red-tailed Hawks nest, as they don’t build their own. I’ll have to check on this one as the weeks go by to see what goes on. It was a cloudy day with nice temps around 30. Images were taken on February 4, 2021
The Great Horned Owl giving nice looks today…
Another view, this nest is very high up…
Out birding today I came across a Long-eared Owl. I found it perched and it was still perched when I left the area. A chilly day to start with cloudy skies, the sun warmed things up a little as the day went on. Images were taken on January 20, 2021.
The Long-eared Owl
On one of my birding walks today I was happy to encounter a beautiful Barred Owl. The owl was quietly roosting in a tree which is what this species does during the day. At night they are hunters for small animals and rodents. It was an overcast day with very light snow flurries, mild temps around 30 degrees. Images were taken on January 17, 2021.
The roosting Barred Owl with some light snow flurries coming down…
A side view of this beautiful bird…
Eastern Screech Owl, a red morph just hanging, catching some rest in Milwaukee County on January 14, 2021.
The Eastern Screech Owl…
My birding morning started off in Milwaukee County. Common birds that are expected to be seen this time of year were found. A couple stops in Waukesha County on my way home produced a beautiful Great Horned Owl. It was sitting in a pine perched pretty and was there when I left. Coming across this nice bird was a great way to start out the birding new year. A gloomy morning, temps around 30, some wind, not bad for the 1st of the year!
