Late this afternoon, the otherwise restful Snowy Owl finally became active. After napping on a snow pile for about 30 minutes, the Snowy Owl took flight. She found her target in grassy patch covered with a thin layer of snow about 1000 feet away: a meal. She promptly landed on a Meadow Vole and devoured it.
Snowy Owls Buena Vista Grasslands Wildlife Area in Portage County WI. Images taken on February 11, 2014
Red-tailed Hawk catches its prey, a Short-tailed Shrew at Mitchell Park in Brookfield WI. Photographs taken on February 5, 2014.
Eyes on the vole
Going for the prey!
Off with the vole to a new perch
Note location of vole!
Snowy Owl at the Buena Vista Grasslands in Portage County WI. Photograph taken on February 2, 2014
Snowy Owl #2 Waukesha County Airport 1/16/2014, on the runway.
Snowy Owl #2 Waukesha County Airport 1/16/2014, on the snow pile with snow falling.
Snowy Owl #1 Waukesha County Airport 1/15/2014
Snowy Owl #1 Waukesha County Airport 1/15/2014
Snowy Owl #1 Waukesha County Airport 1/15/2014
Snowy Owl photographs taken at Lakeshore State Park on Milwaukee’s Lakefront on December 9, 2013.
Binomial name: Bubo scandiacus
Category: Typical Owls
Description: Adult males are mostly white with a few dark feather tips. Adult females and juveniles are white with dark scalloping on chest, back, wings, and tail. Yellow eyes, black beak, and feathery feet.
Size: 20”- 28” long, 49” – 59” wingspan
Weight: 3.5 lb. – 6.6 lb.
Habitat: Wide open, treeless spaces such as shorelines, lakes, open fields, and agricultural sites.
Diet: Small mammals such as rodents, lemmings, voles, mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, and other birds such as shorebirds, songbirds, ducks, geese, and pheasants.
Nesting: The female builds a nest on a mound with good visibility. She scrapes away the top layer of soil and, over several days, presses her body into the ground to make a depression. She will lay a clutch of 3 to 11 eggs and incubate them for about 5 weeks. Both parents will defend the nest and care for the hatchlings which are born pure white. The same nest may be used year after year.
Notes: Snowy owls are considered the heaviest owl in North America, weighing about a pound more than its closest contender, the Great Horned Owl. A snowy owl was featured in the Harry Potter series when Harry received his pet, Hedwig. It is also the official bird of Quebec.
Snowy Owl at the Lake Express Ferry, Milwaukee WI. Photographs taken on December 10, 2012
Snowy Owl at the Horicon Marsh on Dike Road. Photographs taken on November 26, 2011.
Snowy Owl at the Sheboygan Marina, Sheboygan WI. Photographs taken on November 21, 2011
Snowy Owl at Waukesha Wisconsin. Photographs taken on January 15, 2009
Binomial name: Larus marinus
Category: Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
Description: The largest member of the gull family. White feathers with grayish-black backs and wings. The wings have white wingtips. Pink legs, strong yellow or pinkish-yellow bill.
Size: 25” – 31” long, 4’ 10” – 5’ 7” wingspan
Weight: 1.7 lbs. – 5.1 lbs.
Habitat: Rocky and sandy coastal shorelines, ponds, lakes, and marshes
Diet: 50% or more of their diet is often garbage or human refuse. They also eat fish, insects, crabs, smaller birds, chick eggs, and land animals such as rats.
Nesting: Both parents build several nests on or near stacks of rocks or fallen logs. The female chooses the best one, and it is lined with grass, seaweed, and other vegetation or garbage such as rope and pieces of plastic. The female will lay a clutch of 3 eggs and both parents incubate them for about 28 days. Both parents raise the hatchlings, take turns finding food. The breeding pair will reuse the same nesting site year after year.
Notes: Great Black-backed Gull feathers were used in clothing while feathers were fashionable in the late 1800’s. Once the trend ended, populations began to increase. This trend continues with the increase in refuse sites across North America and Europe.
To view the gallery of images, please click here.
A Red-headed Woodpecker adult and juveniles storing acorns for the winter in Marquette County, WI. Photographs taken November 19, 2013.
Juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker with acorn
Juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker with acorn
Juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker with acorn
Adult Red-headed Woodpecker pulling acorn from tree top
Adult Red-headed Woodpecker after removing acorn cap by striking it
Adult Red-headed Woodpecker after dodging acorn cap
Adult Red-headed Woodpecker with acorn
Adult Red-headed Woodpecker with acorn piece
Adult Red-headed Woodpecker with acorn piece
Juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker just after storing an acorn piece in tree cavity
To see the gallery of images, please click here.
An adult Green Heron at Wehr Nature Center in Greenfield WI. Juvenile Green Herons at Veterans Park Lagoon Milwaukee WI . Photographs were taken in 2011.
