Category Archives: Typical Owls

Northern Saw-whet Owl in Southeastern Wisconsin November 15, 2024

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I have been looking for the last few weeks for the Northern Saw-whet Owl. Today I was rewarded finding one in a pine. It is a feeling like no other. When you are digging around in parks etc and you look up and you are looking one, it is like your heart sinks. A lot goes through your mind in split seconds. Then you take a breath, hold the camera up and take a couple of shots. And that is how it went finding this tiny owl about 8″ tall. One of the worlds smallest owl, these owls are nocturnal hunters that are fierce and silent. They hunt mice, small mammals, small birds, and sometimes insects. I will tell anyone, they are out there, sometimes you have to look in the places most people don’t. It was a cloudy day, mild temps around 50 degree, low winds. The images were taken in Southeastern Wisconsin on November 15, 2024.

Great Horned Owl Owlets in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on April 25, 2024

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I have been following a couple of pair of Great Horned Owls with their owlets. Stopping in at a couple of locations and taking a couple of images. For the most part these owlets do nothing other than sit there and look at you if they are not sleeping. They are fed by an adult but I was never around when that took place. An adult Great Horned Owl is always in view of the owlets and the nest if there is an owlet that has not fledged. Images were taken over the last 2-3 weeks. The owlets do move around when your not there so the images are of just a few different birds.

Two owlets still in the nest…

I think it is waiting for food…

Just a fuzz ball…

The adult Great Horned Owl off in a distance within views of the nest and owlets…

Great Horned Owl owlets on the nest in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on April 10, 2024

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I went to a location of where a Great Horned Owl has been sitting on a nest to see how far things have moved along. The owlets are very visible, moving around and probably will be leaving the nest soon. They gave some nice views today while I was there. An adult Great Horned Owl was off in a distance high in a tree keeping an eye on the nest. It was a beautiful morning with full sun, 60 degrees and low winds. Image was taken on April 10, 2024.

3 Great Horned Owl owlets in the photo if you can see them…

This little one has the mouth open wanting something to eat from an adult…

Profile view…

Northern Saw-whet Owls in Southeastern Wisconsin February 11-17, 2024

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During the winter months I bird locations all over southeastern Wisconsin with hopes to find a Northern Saw-whet Owl. I dig here and there and it has been a quiet winter until last week. I have come across 2 of them just recently. They are so tiny, cute and motionless in the trees when I found them, and are that way when I leave. One had a vole in it’s talons. They may be cute with their catlike face and quiet looking, but they are highly nocturnal with activity beginning at late dusk. I always tell anyone who asks how to find them, I tell them look in pine trees, even if it is just one out in the open. It has been cold weather with some light snow, temps this morning around 10 degrees

Northern Saw-whet Owl…

The Northern Saw-whet Owl with the vole…

Northern Saw-whet Owl in Southeastern Wisconsin on February 11, 2024

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I left the house this morning like many mornings this time of year in search for the Northern Saw-whet Owl. I have looked hard the last month and this morning was my lucky day. Coming around a corner on a path, I looked up and here is one looking right at me!! When this happens I usually am in shock for a few seconds. This Saw-whet had a vole in its talons so it was just out for breakfast I guess. I took a couple of quick photos and off I went. It looked so beautifully perched in the tree when I left it. Always a great time when you come across one of these. It was a cloudy morning with temps around 28 degrees and a good breeze making it feel like winter again. Image was taken on February 11, 2024.

The Northern Saw-whet Owl with the vole…

Eastern Screech Owl in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on February 1, 2024

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I did some birding like yesterday looking for owls in Milwaukee County. Walking across a field in front of me and looking right at me was a beautiful Eastern Screech Owl, brown morph. From a long distance I took a photo. A couple of steps ahead and the owl disappeared into the cavity below. I left the area, so it can get back out and enjoy the day. It is always fun finding an owl at a new location. It was a gorgeous day with full sun, low winds and mild temps around 40 degrees. Image was taken on February 1, 2024.

The Eastern Screech Owl just enjoying the sun…

Eastern Screech Owl in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on January 31, 2024

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This Eastern Screech Owl, brown morph flew by me today and landed close by while birding in Milwaukee County. It was a nice surprise, it only hung around for about 10 seconds, enough to get one photo. It was a mostly cloudy morning with a good breeze but temps were milder than they have been in the past, around 35 degrees. Image was taken on January 31, 2024.

The Eastern Screech Owl giving nice looks for about 10 seconds…

Long-eared Owl in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on January 20, 2024

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While birding at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee County I was observing a Long-eared Owl at a distance. Moments later a Red Fox was starting to work it’s way towards the owl. I could tell that something was going to happen as the Red Fox got about 20′ from the roosting owl near the ground the owl flushed. The Long-eared Owl landed near me in a tree. I took a few photos  and left the area. On another note… there was a 2nd Long-eared Owl when got there. It flew away from it’s roosting spot with the other owl and must have spotted a vole or something. Moments later a Rough-legged Hawk came by and snatched the Long-eared Owl off the ground and off they went. I saw a photo of the two in flight, a sad moment for the day. It was a very cold morning with a high around 10, a light breeze but full sun maybe it feel a little better. Images were taken on January 20, 2024.

The Long-eared Owl…

Eastern Screech Owl, Gray Morph in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on November 27, 2023

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Some birding today produced a nice looks at a Eastern Screech Owl, gray morph just hanging out in a natural cavity. It was maybe sleeping, or just keeping it’s eyes closed while I was in the area. It was a cold day with some good wind gusts out there with temps around 26 degrees, and the sun was on and off. Images were taken on November 27, 2023.

The Eastern Screech Owl, gray morph…

Another angle…must have been following me…

Great Horned Owl in Waukesha County on November 25, 2023

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A birding location I stop at once cold weather is upon us, like now November. I spotted this Great Horned Owl which I have not seen one at this location since early spring. I have seen a pair at this location for the last 4 years in winter and have always seen a nest so this is what I’m assuming. They move out to a different location for the late spring once the young are older. I’m sure when I saw this owl that a mate was nearby in fact it was looking off to another direction which tells me it was there in that direction, just my thinking how these owls act. It was a cloudy day with little wind temps around 38 degrees. Image was taken on November 25, 2023.

The Great Horned Owl resting in a White Pine at a distance…

Eastern Screech Owl, Gray Morph in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on March 27, 2023

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One of my birding stops today provided nice views of an Eastern Screech Owl, gray morph. It was resting, its eyes were closed for the most part in a tree cavity. I only hung around for a moment. It was a sunny day with mild temps around 45 degrees, a pleasant morning to be out birding. Images were taken on March 27, 2023.

The Eastern Screech Owl just soaking up some sun…

Blends in so well…

Precious…

Great Horned Owl owlets in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on March 21, 2023

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A Great Horned Owl nest in Milwaukee County is starting to show signs of life. The nest is holding 2 owlets as the mother keeps her eye on the nest from a long distance. It was a nice day with some sun, lows winds and temps in the 40’s. Images were taken on March 21, 2023.

First one owlet appears…

Then a second…

Great Horned Owl owlet in Waukesha County Wisconsin on March 20, 2023

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My last birding stop of the day was to check on an old nest off a highway in Waukesha County. This nest was not used last year. Present was an adult Great Horned Owl which flew from the nest before I got a photo off and an owlet which of course stayed in the nest. This nest is very far off the highway so the photo is a distant shot. I hung around a while with hopes the adult would return with some food but even though it was warmer today, the wind made if feel still like winter, I did not hang around. Temps around 43 degrees, steady winds from the west, mostly sunny skies. Image was taken on March 20, 2023.

The Great Horned Owl, owlet on the nest waiting…