Horvath and the Owlet, Blank and the Snapper, Sally's Red-tail Eyasses, and Owl Watching Gonzalez Asks a Question.

From wonderful wildlife rehabilitator Bobby Horwath---
This was an easy one this morning. Just got home from a night tour and was loading up the truck with birds for a show today in Riverside Park and got a call for a baby great horned owl at a park about 40 minutes away.


I flew out there and some great bird watchers who have been following this nest for weeks told me where it was . Luckily not too high at all and was offered a ladder from the parks people so back this little guy went

There were hundreds of people 20 feet away all day long since it was a Sunday and 80 degrees so no parents ever came by to check but they were close by.

(See Bobby's fingers placing the Owlet back in the nest?)

I’m sure they’ll return tonight and the watchers are there every day monitoring him so if it happens again we'll try another reunion as long as he doesn't injure himself. Wish they all turned out to be this easy.

Indeed!

And now for another save--James Blank and his six-year-old daughter Isabella were leading me to the turn off that led to Clear Lake, (The local folks are very good to me knowing my penchant for misplacing myself.) when suddenly their car pulled over and stopped on the mucky verge. I looked around.

There in the middle of the left lane was Mrs. Snapping Turtle, stopped dead. Another look around revealed a very large pond on the right hand side of the road. Undoubtedly where Mrs. Snapper was going before she froze.

I grabbed my camera and Mr. Blank the snapping turtle and he carried her to our side of the road. The one with the pond.

Jim laid her down and she didn't move. I said, "Is she alright?"
We stared. There she was with all the meaty bits curled up within or under her shell.

Jim then said, "She's fine, she's just mad." And to prove him right Mrs. Snapper made a lightning, thick muscled nab for his hand. She missed only due to his very good reflexes.

Having missed, she pulled her neck back in but kept her jaws at the ready. And note the already open mouth. It is faster if your mouth is already open if you're going to stealth bite someone---it's faster that way.

Screen captures of the Portland Red-tail nest courtesy of Sally of the Tulsa Hawk Nest Forum and
http://www.kgw.com/raptorcam/?nvid=226982&live=yes

Here is what Sally had to say--

Hi Donna!

I find watching the nest in Portland challenging through the bars on the fire escape, but the view of the babies is so great anyway! Watching the female on them, fussing with sticks and greenery just like Kay make me both happy and sad. But the two little fluff balls are just irresistible!

I have sent some captures. One has the chicks looking up at Mama's tail as she stand over them in apparent awe, one as they are feeding and one of the little one saying, "Easy Mom, don't squish me!" as she nestles on top.
http://www.kgw.com/raptorcam/?nvid=226982&live=yes

She does look just a trifle squished doesn't she?

Pat Gonzalez who has been following the Great Horned Owl Nest In the New York Botanical Gardens had a question--

Do you think it is possible for a great horned owl to feel someones' "vibe". Can they sense bad intentions from humans? Also, can they get "used" to a specific person like myself who visits their turf?

Absolutely Pat, raptors know individual people, as do pigeons, and many other birds. Without question they recognize us. If Pale Male drops part of his prey on the ground while eating in a tree by the Bench and it is just the people he sees day after day, he'll drop down in the middle of things, get it, and get back up in the tree and eat it. If there are strangers or those he doesn't trust near by he won't.

Sweet Tristan of the Cathedral nest had a Pale Male disposition and I always believed he was urban hatched as he was so very calm and even friendly with people. He'd sit in branches very near humans without the least distress while hunting rats. Also if I'd been coming to watch everyday and then was absent as I was out of town for some weeks, when I returned, Tristan, comfy and relaxed with one foot tucked, seemed to give me a long look when I first appeared again, as if to say, "Oh there you are. You're back."

I’m sure that by this time the Owls recognize you, but being of a species that tends toward a rather take-no-prisoners disposition, they may let you get closer than other people but be on your toes. Who knows, if you watched this particular pair for several seasons, what sort of relationship might develop amongst you and the Great Horned Owl pair as trust accrued over time.

In Bobby’s save today, he didn’t really have to worry that much about the parents because of the huge number of people around. Raptors don’t like to deal with more variables than they can keep their eyes on at the same time.

Donegal Browne

Saturday Miscellany-Sutton Eagles, NYBG Great Horned Owl, Blackwater Osprey, and Hilary's Canada Goose Nest Problem

PHOTOGRAPH BY PAT GONZALEZ
Pat is referring below to the photographs of the newly fledged Great Horned Owls in the New York Botanical Gardens posted yesterday. This is Mama Owl looking at Pat look at her newly fledged Owlets.--

Pat said, "I meant to include this photo with the others in my last email. This is the momma owl watching me rather intensely as I photographed her offspring. Her ear tufts are rather flat. Is that a bad thing?"

I answered, "Well as she is looking at you look at her babies, it likely isn't a good thing. In fact I suspect that had you gone a few steps closer to her progeny, she might well have gone for you."

And a Great Horned Owl going after you is no joke. When I was in training, I met two ornithologists who had lost eyes to Great Horns while attempting to band the young on the nest. (I don't remember them wearing hard hats way back when. They've wised up since.) I don't want to scare you, particularly as you've done just fine so far and this Great Horned Owl is undoubtedly somewhat habituated to people being closer then would be normal, or she wouldn't be in the Gardens, but I suggest that you wear a hat from now on.


Supposedly, I was told this anyway, in an Owl attack if you are wearing a hat and the owl goes for you, you grab off the hat and pitch it at the owl. The owl will then go for the hat, sink her talons into it, take off with it, and shred the you-know-what out of it... instead of shredding your head. So you loose a hat, no biggie. Better than the alternative.

And like I said this owl is no doubt much more used to people being around than your usual wild owl who nests in the countryside and sees people infrequently therefore don't make yourself crazy over it. Just a suggestion for a rather far fetched possibility.

Great Horned Owl video also from Pat--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBcVMzOGF5I&feature=channel_page


Screen Capture Courtesy of Jackie Dover, KJRH TV Tulsa, and
http://www.suttoncenter.org/eaglecam.html
A thunderstorm rolls into the Sutton Bald Eagle territory. Wonderful stuff from Jackie Dover of the Tulsa Hawk Nest Forum--


Jackie, Bville of the Tulsa Hawk Forum
Screen Captures courtesy of Jackie Dover, KJRH TV Tulsa, and
http://www.suttoncenter.org/eaglecam.html
These are screen capture sequences featuring the Sutton Avian Research Center's bald eagles at Sooner Lake, near Stillwater, OK. This nest is on an artificial tower built after the original dead tree site fell down. Here's the live cam link, from which folks can also explore the Center's website. http://www.suttoncenter.org/eaglecam.html


This series of captures is from the evening of April 18. Some nasty storm clouds reached the lake around 8 p.m. One eagle parent flew off the nest, the other immediately calling vigorously after it, it seemed.


The first quickly returned. The rain and frequent lightning lasted at least a half hour.

(Did it occur to anyone else that though it was grand that they put up a substitute nest stand for the pair, as they've made it out of metal, they have contrived for the Eagles to nest on top of one giganto lightning rod?)

Screen Captures courtesy of Jackie Dover, KJRH TV Tulsa, and http://www.suttoncenter.org/eaglecam.html
The parents sheltered the eaglet the entire time, huddling together in the same pose. In all these captures, the birds are revealed only by the lightning flashes, in both the wide and close shots. It was quite the display.


Screen Captures courtesy of Jackie Dover, KJRH TV Tulsa, and http://www.suttoncenter.org/eaglecam.html

I will shortly send you another series of captures at the same nest.
Jackie, Bville of the Tulsa Hawk Forum

Now there is parental protection for you. I suspect that the female is closest to the eaglet and dad is slightly sheltering mom while protecting little eaglet from the storm as well. Good luck Eagles!

Screen capture courtesy of Robin of Illinois and

the Blackwater Osprey Cam.

From Blackwater Watcher and long time blog contributor Robin of Illinois--

Posted on the Blackwater cam site: "We have our first egg of 2009! We could see one or two more, normally coming about three days apart."
(Interesting that a Red-tail usually can create an egg every other day while an Osprey takes 3 days.)

**************************************************************************

Next up an email from Hilary Sortor, a New York City college student concerned about a possible disturbance to a Canada Goose couple's nest down near Pier 64 on the Hudson--

Hi Donna,

I hope you are well! I met you last year up at the Fifth Avenue nest and you subsequently helped me learn what to look for when watching the red tails nesting at City College.

I haven't seen much of them this year, sadly, although I had a really good look at one of them eating a pigeon in a pocket park on Broadway a couple of weeks back - drew quite a crowd and was subsequently chased off by the pair of kestrels that live in that area.

I continue to enjoy reading your blog and wish there was more time in the day for birds and other creatures... maybe when school is out.

I'm writing because I thought you might know who to contact about this: Pier 64 has been under construction up until three days ago, and is now open to the public. While it was closed, a pair of Canada geese felt it was sufficiently free of humans (and probably more importantly, dogs) to construct a nest on the lawn at the far end of the pier. I did not realize that's what was going on until I walked out there this evening with my dog and saw the female on the nest and the male standing guard (I moved my dog well away as soon as I saw the female wasn't getting up and the light bulb went off in my brain).

Hudson River Conservancy has roped off the area, but it's not much of a buffer - maybe 20-25 feet. The male was surrounded on three sides by people as he tried to keep an eye on everything - I try not to anthropomorphize, but both geese seemed very worried.

There were a lot of people out there this evening with dogs, etc. getting much too close.I'd seen them out there a couple of days ago, but the male was in the water and there weren't any other people around, so I wasn't sure there was a nest until tonight, or I would have contacted you sooner.

My fear is, that area will be packed over the weekend with the good weather, and I don't know how good that will be for the geese.

What can be done? Who should I contact? People around them tonight seemed pretty oblivious to the situation, or hopefully, they would have backed off. If you have any ideas, please let me know.Thanks for any advice you can give, I appreciate it, and enjoy the weekend!

Best,

Hilary


I forwarded Hilary’s email off to Park Ranger Andrew DiSalvo who has been helpful in the past. Though the pier is not within his current area, I’m hoping he will be able to point Hilary and the Geese to the Ranger or Rangers who may be in the Pier 64 area or as an alternative-- in whatever correct direction will help them.


Donegal Browne

Great Horned Owls and a Wisconsin Skunk

Pat Gonzalez who has been following the Great Horned Owl nest in the New York Botanical Gardens sends in her latest news--
The two great-horned owl chicks inside the tree have literally flown the coop. They are out and about, learning how to fly, and the other things they'll have to know in order to survive. Truly magnificent creatures, they seem to have fuzz instead of feathers. Mama was watching rather intently while I snapped these pics.
Pat.


I love the beginnings of the owlets "Great Horns" which of course aren't horns at all but rather tufts of feathers. And look at those amazing feathered very large feet this guy has on him!

AND UPDATE FROM BRETT ODOM, WHO CLOSELY MONITORS CHARLOTTE AND JUNIOR'S NEST--

Hey Donna.

The weather here has been terrible lately so I have been unable to confirm if we have a hatch yet. I can see that Charlotte is still sitting on the nest. Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow and I can get a good look through the glass. I leave Friday to visit family in MS and won't be returning until Tuesday so if I don't see anything tomorrow, it will be next week before I know anything.Brett B. Odom

Here's hoping that the southern Central Park pair has a surprise for Brett the next time he looks through his office window at them.

I was lost. To tell the truth I am often lost in Wisconsin. The shortest route ordinarily from where ever I am to where ever it is I want to go is by the country roads. You know, the ones that the Atlases don't have on them? In fact I'd been lost for nearly an hour when I saw two Red-tails circling up in a very blue prairie sky.

Enough of this lost thing already. I pulled off into a little park to photograph the Red-tails, get out my cellphone, call for help, endure the ribbing I always get from the local folks who help get me unlost, and then I noticed the above object.

Do you know what it is? It's an artesian well. This one is equipped with a handy bubbler for easy drinking.

According to the online version of The Merriam-Webster Dictionary and artesian well is a well in which water is under pressure ; especially : one in which the water flows to the surface naturally.

Wisconsin is full of artesian well. The water from these wells is high in silica and other minerals. They come from a deep level, so are also quite pure. Most of them have been capped in Wisconsin but there was always a way left in which the many people from the area who believed in the water's beneficial medicinal value, could always get some to either drink on the spot or fill containers to take home.

Very nice and all but I'm still lost. I get ahold of Gaylord Hooker and after not quite believing that I had truly gotten myself all the way into Porter Township, he gave me the gist on how to get back--maybe.


Definitely two different hawks in the photos. This one has quite a white patch on the neck and the first is a very dark bird, much like Pale Male Jr.'s mate, Charlotte.

Possible directions in hand I return to the car and trundle off. And I drive and I drive and I drive, until what should I see?

A skunk! One often smells skunk here but seeing one is a much rarer matter.

First of all, it's about 3:30 in the afternoon. Ordinarily skunks aren't out until at least dusk. Could this be a rabid skunk?

So not only could I smell really bad for a very long time but I could also be chased by a crazed rabid skunk. I don't know, his legs look pretty short, I'm betting I could beat him back to my car. Besides he isn't drooling or anything though he doesn't seem to really be paying me the least mind. I leave the car door open just in case and decide to stay on my side of the road.

OH NO!!! His tail gives an upward twitch. I stand still and his tail slowly lowers. I don't think he likes my tripod.

He may be giving me the eye, but mostly he continues to forage in the ditch at the side of the road.

I hear mooing and turn around.

Wow there are a whole lot of milk cows back there standing by the barn. It must be time for either milking, dinner, or they don't like my tripod either because the girls are really starting to rev up.

I look back at the skunk and one of the girls gives out a bona vide bellow. Skunk's tail stands straight up. Needless to say I didn't even move enough to click a picture of that completely raised tail. This is his tail lowering slowly after the the start he got from the cow bellow.

Ah, I'm standing in front of Towson Holsteins. The reason I now know I was near Porter is that one of the local volunteer fireman here, looked at the picture and the number on the red sign, to a fireman anyway, tells the location that one is in.

Skunk is back moseying through the grass looking for some Skunk favorites, such as grasshoppers or grubs. They even tear into wasps nests and eat the insects, without apparent regard for all the stings, if they can get them. Ditto for small mammals.

The Girls have gone into a major vocalization. I can hardly hear myself think.

Skunk seems to have gotten used to it, thank goodness.

According to the Wisconsin DNR, Great Horned Owls seem to be the only predator who seem impervious to Skunk smell. Barred Owls will also predate Great Horns but they apparently don't like the smell. I wonder how they can tell? Barred Owls certainly doesn't have lips that can curl up in disgust.

Skunk keeps turning his back lessoning the photo opportunities.

Still staying on my side of the road, I attempt to trot ahead of skunk to get a face shot.

No good. Skunk just pads down the incline away from me.

According to the Wisconsin DNR--
"The striped skunk is very common in Wisconsin. They're not very aggressive and typically plod along minding their own business. But, if you see one, it's best to quietly move away so you don't become a victim…"

Good point about not bugging him and also good point about plodding. This guy without question plods.

He notices me again and quickly turns his back.

What's this? Does he have a scar on his face from maybe a Great Horned Owl attack? Or does he have a sore eye and that is matter stuck to his black fur?

Look along the right side of his tail. See the bottom of his back foot? The gray pads? It took some looking but it turns out that a Skunk's back feet don't look a whole lot like his front feet. The front feet though festooned with very sharp digging claws are quite petite comparatively.

It's time for me to try and get unlost and Skunk is now making away from me, plodding into the metaphorical sunset.

I do dearly hope I get myself unlost well before the real one.

Donegal Browne