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!
One of my birding stops today produced a beautiful Snowy Owl. A female, at the Lake Express Ferry along the Milwaukee lakefront. There was very little action from this bird while I was present. Who knows, it maybe just had a big meal before arriving and was just kicking back and taking a break. They typically don’t do much during the day anyways. It was a partly cloudy day, very little wind, temps are 32 degrees. Images were taken on December 13, 2020.
The Snowy Owl fluffing up those feathers just after preening…
Snowy Owl preening…
Just a beautiful bird!
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 November 11, 2020.
The Long-eared Owl…
Another shot…look at those talons…
November 25, 2020
I came across a pair of Barred Owls along with two owlets this morning in Milwaukee County. The owlets are so cute! They were very high in the tree tops so photos are distant. First of the year for me on this species so it was a real treat to see them. A gloomy morning but temperatures were pleasant. Images were taken on June 1, 2020.
One of the adult Barred Owls…there were a pair…
Barred Owl owlet #1
Barred Owl owlet #2
One of the places Great Horned Owls can be found are cemetery’s. I drive though a few year round looking for these birds in slower birding times. This spring I found just that, a cemetery with a pair of Great Horned Owls. What a great place to have a nest and raise a family. Typically quiet, a large area to find prey. Today, one of the two perched in the open, I could see the nest nearby in another tree but so high up, I couldn’t see what is going on. I have seen no owlets but I’m sure they are around by this time of year. I didn’t even have to get out of the car for these shots. A nice sunny day but stiff winds from the NE made for a chilly day. Images were taken on April 21, 2020.
An adult Great Horned Owl just hanging out with the nest close by…
I have been watching a Great Horned Owl nest for the last couple of months in Waukesha County. I only stop every couple of weeks if that to see what is going on. At today’s visit, two owlets were present. One still on the nest and the other well out on a limb. An adult was close by perched in a tree watching. I only hung around for a minute and left the area. It was a partly cloudy morning with light winds, a pleasant day, temps around 42 degrees. Images were taken on April 18, 2020.
The Great Horned Owl owlet on the nest…
The other Great Horned Owl owlet out on a limb…
Another view…
Doing what they do…
While birding a new location, coming out of some bushes, I was stunned to see a single Long-eared Owl starring at me. Just sitting on a branch, I quickly took some shots and walked away. It never flew, seemed content just looking at me. That was one of my biggest birding surprises of all time! Images were taken on April 2, 2020.
The Long-eared Owl
After birding the morning in Waukesha County, it was a nice surprise to come home to a Eastern Screech-Owl in the backyard. I stayed about 100 feet away and took a couple of photos from the house. I put up 2 houses 3 years ago, finally there is a house guest in one of them. Hope it hangs around. A cold day with highs of only 23 degrees out here in Waukesha County, sun has been out most of the afternoon, with some wind. Images were taken on February 27, 2020.
Eastern Screech-Owl, red morph catching some sunshine…
At a distance, the owl stays perched watching…
Doing a chore in the yard the Eastern Screech Owl watches me, stayed perched here into the dark…
Today while out birding I stumbled across a Long-eared Owl. It always comes as a big surprise even if you are looking for them. As always, during the slow times of winter birding I spend many days just looking for owls in places off the wall, in places you would not think they would be. It was nice day, mostly cloudy with a slight wind out of the NE, temps around 30 degrees. This owl found in SE Wisconsin. Image was taken on February 4, 2020.
A Long-eared Owl looking like they always do…
Binomial name: Asio otus
Category: Typical Owls
Size: 15” long, 36” wing span
Weight: 9 oz
Note: A proficient hunter, the Long-eared Owl catches mice in complete darkness by using sound to locate its prey!
One of my birding stops today provided nice views of an Eastern Screech Owl, gray morph. It was resting, its eyes were closed. It was a cloudy day with mild temps, a pleasant morning to be out birding. Images were taken on January 30, 2020.
Eastern Screech Owl resting in its cavity…
