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…
I received a tip on a Snowy Owl in Milwaukee County early morning and was in the area it was reported. I checked it out and took a couple of shots of this beautiful Snowy Owl. A cold morning with some good wind, made it feel like winter is here. Images were taken on January 4, 2020.
Birding Lakeshore State Park this morning in Milwaukee I came across a Snowy Owl sitting on a deck. I hide out of sight and took a couple of shots. A walker with a dog on a leash near the area must have caught the eyes of the Snowy Owl as it suddenly flew off. It was a brief moment to see this beautiful Snowy Owl. This Snowy Owl looks like the one I photographed in a different area along the lake yesterday. It was a beautiful morning with cloudy skies to state giving way to sun later in the morning with temps around 30 degrees, but a stiff west wind. Images were taken on December 3, 2019.
The Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl possibly looking at the walker with the dog on a leash ahead.
Birding along the lakefront in Milwaukee this morning it was a nice surprise to find a Snowy Owl. 1st one of the winter for me. It was resting and I let it be. I did take a couple of images at a safe distance to share. It was cloudy this morning, light breeze and mild temps for this time of year. Images were taken on December 2, 2019.
The Snowy Owl
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.
While fishing along a shoreline in a boat in Sawyer County, it was a sweet surprise to find a pair of Great Horned Owl owlets starring at me. Two days in a row these owlets were perched in the same area, a dark woodland along the shoreline. No adults were seen but I’m sure with the way these owlets eyes were moving around, looking, the adults were close by. Images were taken on June 28, 2019.
The pair found starring at us…
They were looking around as if adults were close by…
Looking as an adult was close by…with the woods dense, it was hard to see in the woodland…
Barred Owl in a tree, presumably a nesting pair in Milwaukee County. This male resting peacefully in a tree kept his eyes on a nest hole nearby. Hopefully they will have a successful breeding year at this location. Partly cloudy but in a short time gave way to beautiful blue skies, cool temps starting at 21 degree with some breeze, it was chilly out there! Images were taken on March 11, 2019.
Barred Owl, the male…
Here the male looks over to the nest hole tree…
Enjoying some of the morning sun…
Off in a distance to show some of the setting…this owl was very high up there…
An Eastern Screech Owl enjoying some sunshine in Milwaukee County Wisconsin on February 21, 2019. This beautiful owl was the highlight of the day. Still, in my opinion very quiet in Milwaukee County Parks. A little action around feeders. 1,000’s of ducks along the Milwaukee lakefront, Common Goldeneye, Greater Scaup and some Red-breasted Mergansers in the areas I checked. It was a gorgeous day with plenty of sunshine, low winds, temps around 30 degrees.
Eastern Screech Owl, red morph soaking up some sunshine…
At a long distance…
It was nice to come across a pair of nesting Great Horned Owls late morning. The female was on the nest while the male was perched high in a spruce tree about 100 feet away. First nesting pair of the year for me. It was a beautiful day, almost felt like spring. Temps around 40, started out with a little sun but clouded over around noon, low winds.
The female Great Horned Owl on the nest…
The male Great Horned Owl near the nest resting peacefully and watching the area too…
While out birding I was surprised to come across a Long-eared Owl. It was perched in a tree, it just stared at me like they always do. I quickly took a couple of shots. A few thin branches were between the owl and I, but that is how it goes sometimes. As I was walking away, a glance to the left of the owl, there was another Long-eared Owl. A couple shots of that one and I left the area, the owls still perched as I found them. It was a cloudy gloomy day with a mild breeze, temps around 30 degrees. Images were taken on February 6, 2019.
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!
Long-eared Owl, the 2nd one found…
On winter days when birding is slow I spend a lot of hours for weeks looking for the Northern Saw-whet Owl. I found this beautiful owl doing just that. I had views for less than 2 minutes before it left the tree. I was looking down at my camera to check the exposure, heard a flutter and had just a glimpse of it flying off. I spent a few minutes quietly looking to an area it went to with no luck. Images were taken on January 12, 2019.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Binomial name: Aegolius acadicus
Category: Typical Owls
Size: 8” long, 17” wing span
Weight: 2.8 oz
Cool facts: Smallest owl in North America with a cat like face that is highly nocturnal and seldom seen.
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Doing some general birding today I came across a pair of Great Horned Owls out catching some sun in Milwaukee County. It was one of the cold winter days just after some freshly fallen snow with plenty of sunshine, very little wind. It made for a pleasant day for birding. Image was taken on January 20, 2019.
