After yesterday’s incredibly long blog post that included 19 photos I’m taking a semi-break today with a single-photo post.
Ten days ago I found a nesting female Great Horned Owl in northern Utah and posted a couple of photos of her to my blog. Six days later I visited her again to see how she was doing.
1/640, f/7.1, ISO 1600, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Not much had changed and I consider that good news. She was still on the nest, either incubating eggs or brooding very young chicks (only females incubate and brood). I haven’t seen the male on either of my visits to the nest but that isn’t surprising since males deliver food to the female/chicks during the night. They are owls after all.
This photo was taken right at dawn, which explains the extremely warm light (and my camera settings). Seconds later she settled further down on her eggs or young chicks so I could only see the top of her head. At that point I left her to look for other birds.
All’s well, so far.
Ron
Super shot Rn, thaanks for sharing!
Charlotte Norton
Very good to see and read. I hope (fervently) that her work is successful.
Thanks, EC. Fingers crossed.
Beautiful bird, lovely light. Hope they are successful!
Thanks, April. Me too.
Beautiful mama—and I love the warm light that adds an extra level of serenity to this scene. Judy’s comment about nesting in an open area like that makes me also wonder about how the owl babies will navigate without trees since they’re big climbers and “branchers” before they’re ready to fledge. Although I hear rock climbing is popular in Utah. 😉
Chris, I imagine they’ll just crawl around on the cliff. I don’t think parts of are so steep they couldn’t do it.
Wonderful shot, Ron! 🙂 LOVE GHO’s and can’t believe your good fortune to have one nesting in the open – hope it works out for them – chicks may have a tough time with no branches to cling to – time will tell. I sure miss having them in the yard.
Rain yesterday and last evening. Heavy, wet snow coming sideways at the moment – YES! Lewistown area not so thrilled (except farmers) as they have 4′ to 5′ drifts and severe driving this morning. Neighbor ended up sideways in a coolie going to town this morning but stayed out of the ditch. Wanted to be sure we weren’t going to town today – nope.
“chicks may have a tough time with no branches to cling to”
I hope not, Judy GHOW’s are pretty adaptable so hopefully things will go well.
I went sideways into a coulee in a MT blizzard once, driving my first car – a ’46 Ford Coupe (painted robin’s egg blue). Getting out was no fun. Congrats on the moisture!
Coulee, the only places I have heard it used or seen it on maps and sign is Idaho and now Montana. Guess French Canadian trappers and explorers? I know the French word couler, but had to look up coulee last year when we were in Idaho. Had it down for the Montana trip a year later.
April, growing up in MT, “coulee” was an everyday word. For example, on the farm our garbage barrels were in a coulee just west of our house.
Maybe I will promote a name change for our “Gully”, Miller Coulee has a ring.
Sounds like a plan. Go for it and I’ll support you, for what that’s worth.
There’s a large coulee on the north side of Cut Bank just before you get to town. Rather colorfully, it’s called “Old Maids Coulee”.
Thanks for the update! I know EC will be happy to see this “wol” looking so good while on her nest.
I’ll bet she will too, Marty.
A rock ledge and some twigs. Be it ever so humble…
Yup, that’s about all they need.
Looks like she is doing well. Thanks for checking in on her.
Like the warm lighting.
Thanks, Michael.
Nice shot and glad she is doing well. In that warm light with all those colors and shades blending together so well many might just pass by without seeing her. Let’s hope they are successful and have a couple very healthy nestlings soon.
You’re right, Everett. This nest is hard to spot and would be very easy to miss, even if you’re looking for it.
That’s a beautiful image of a beautiful bird. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin has an owl that’s nested in a rock wall there for several years, and the photos of her look much like this. She’s become so accustomed to humans they don’t seem to disturb her at all, and people have been consistent in respecting her. Her expression is just as serene as the one you’ve caught here.
Thanks, Shoreacres. I’m glad folks are acting appropriately around that nest.