All birding is special, but some days are MUCH more special.

Mr. and Mrs. Great Horned Owl would like to present “Junior” to the world. The happy couple started dating last Fall, and would often sing back and forth to each other … sometimes in my very own yard! Over the course of the winter the relationship grew stronger and the couple cemented the bond in early March!

This winter I often hiked or skied the area where I believed Les and Amy were hanging out. Occasionally I would get a quick glimpse of the owls at sunset. Yesterday evening at sunset I finally found “the tree”. The main clues were whitewash and feathers at the base of a white pine. A bit after sunrise this morning I found the nest. The names of these two parent owls are taken from the two rivers in the area … Les for the Lester River, and Amy for Amity Creek. I am thrilled! By yesterday evening given all my previous hikes (and skies) I was focusing my search upon an area 300×300 yards.

I have found and photographed other owls on their nests in my life, but I have such a personal connection with these birds. I can not begin to count how many times I heard this pair singing this winter … thus truly special for me. Obviously the owls knew I was visiting their section of the woods. Given all the crows and ravens in the area, the Mom does not stray far from Junior.

Mrs. Great Horned Owl (Amy) and Junior

Junior

Oh yes … I also found a Blackburnian Warbler in Hartley Park this morning. Normally, just finding and photographing this kind of warbler would make for a great day …