Early morning visitor
- Thread starter Winelover
- Start date
Ian
Notorious member
What a treat to see one in the daytime! Wife and I have been watching (via internet camera) a pair of Great Horned owls raise two chicks for the last month or so. The canyon at the back of my property has been home to several mating pairs over the years, they can be heard quietly "hooting" back and forth some nights.
F
freebullet
Guest
Had a pair of owls land in the tree I was sitting in deer hunting on tree stand several years ago. When there is barely any light and they are flying right at you, you will know they make quite a bit of noise in flight. I thought one was gunna land on my face for a moment until it seen me move.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
Just prior to the early 90's, Peregrine Falcons were reintroduced to Detroit Downtown District.
At the time, I was employed at the General Motors Building. Directly across the Boulevard, was the Fisher Building. They had a "nesting box", with cameras, for viewing brooding falcons. Wasn't unusual for the sidewalks to be littered with decapitated (Rock Doves) pigeons.
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9.3X62AL
Guest
Raptors of all kinds have a special place in my heart. I have read ornithological works that subtly infer that birds in general are somewhat silly creatures. There is nothing silly about a peregrine falcon--a redtail hawk--or a barn owl. They are all business, all the time. Having the bald eagle as our national symbol conveys a tone of respect that the wild turkey (Ben Franklin's suggestion) or the water ouzel just can't bring off.
Ian
Notorious member
Oh, that's right! I forgot Uncle Ben (my wife is directly descended from Ben Franklin's brother) suggested the turkey. Make that THREE things he came up with that I could do without, behind his abortion of a wood stove, and daylight savings time. He had a lot of other ideas that were really good, though.
That "all business, all the time" remark is so true, there is a certain stature to those creatures that isn't often matched by others in the animal kingdom.
That "all business, all the time" remark is so true, there is a certain stature to those creatures that isn't often matched by others in the animal kingdom.
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9.3X62AL
Guest
I got to thinking about raptors after my last post in this thread, and fondly recalled a hunt story with my Dad when I was about age 11. In this instance, the hawk involved did not look very regal--at all.
Dad and I had just parked the car and began our walk toward some brushlands that bordered chicken coops into which doves flew in some numbers. Dad pointed at a hawk descending rapidly in a stoop of sorts, and we followed its path until it approached a large juniper bush. It attempted to engage some sort of unseen target at the bush's base, and unceremoniously tumbled into a graceless crash-landing within its bottom branches. At the same time, a road runner jumped into view, gave a couple indignant wing flaps, and settled a few feet away from the crashed hawk. The hawk got to its feet--looked at the road runner--and gave a very ungainly lunge that the road runner deftly avoided. The hawk then commenced hostilities in earnest, running at the road runner with best effort but no effect. The road runner dodges rattlers for a living, let's remember. The "chase" continued for a time, the hawk running after the road runner until the faster bird almost "lapped" the hawk around the base of the juniper. This caused the hawk to reverse directions, which delighted the road runner to no end. This "pursuit" went on for over a full minute, until the hawk finally gave the matter up as a bad idea and flew off, fairly dripping with disgust and embarrassment. Dad and I were laughing out loud, which did nothing for the hungry bird's dignity I am sure. One of those golden moments afield with my Dad that I will treasure forever.
Dad and I had just parked the car and began our walk toward some brushlands that bordered chicken coops into which doves flew in some numbers. Dad pointed at a hawk descending rapidly in a stoop of sorts, and we followed its path until it approached a large juniper bush. It attempted to engage some sort of unseen target at the bush's base, and unceremoniously tumbled into a graceless crash-landing within its bottom branches. At the same time, a road runner jumped into view, gave a couple indignant wing flaps, and settled a few feet away from the crashed hawk. The hawk got to its feet--looked at the road runner--and gave a very ungainly lunge that the road runner deftly avoided. The hawk then commenced hostilities in earnest, running at the road runner with best effort but no effect. The road runner dodges rattlers for a living, let's remember. The "chase" continued for a time, the hawk running after the road runner until the faster bird almost "lapped" the hawk around the base of the juniper. This caused the hawk to reverse directions, which delighted the road runner to no end. This "pursuit" went on for over a full minute, until the hawk finally gave the matter up as a bad idea and flew off, fairly dripping with disgust and embarrassment. Dad and I were laughing out loud, which did nothing for the hungry bird's dignity I am sure. One of those golden moments afield with my Dad that I will treasure forever.
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9.3X62AL
Guest
Times like that are rare and precious. One of the fringe benefits of a life spent outdoors, the "vigorous life" as touted (and lived) by our President Theodore Roosevelt.
45 2.1
Active Member
Nice pics.... and that's all good until they are all that's left instead of the small game. We used to have small game.... basically all that is left that is huntable is squirrels. All the predators except coyotes are protected now... those are owls, hawks, turkey vultures, bears, cougars, fishers and the lynx which got on the neighbors game camera. The states DNR needs a wake up call here.
Ian
Notorious member
Fudgie died a few years ago, so he's no longer in danger of becoming owl bait.
The #1 predator in my area is the housecat, both feral and domestic outdoor. #2 is the grey fox, but I leave them alone because they kill fewer bunnies and lizards than the cats do and tend to keep the cats run off.
The #1 predator in my area is the housecat, both feral and domestic outdoor. #2 is the grey fox, but I leave them alone because they kill fewer bunnies and lizards than the cats do and tend to keep the cats run off.