Owl Be Seeing You!

Year 9

Molly and I start home to Duluth tomorrow, and we hear lots of snow awaits us in northern Minnesota. Therefore the last two mornings I visited my two favorite owl nests for the final times. I am still dumbfounded that the Barn Owl family is nesting only 50 yards from the Great Horned Owl family. While I suspected a Barn Owl nest, finding both Mom and Dad Barn Owl perched together cinched the fact. The kids are getting big … but are still located deep within the recesses of their chosen home.

This Barn Owl and I have an agreement. The owl allows me to take its photograph if I follow these rules:
  1. Locate owl from a distance using binoculars.
  2. Slowly and silently approach the owl, remaining totally hidden
  3. Extend monopod to only 1/2 its height (3 feet)
  4. Hold monopod at arm’s length in front of me
  5. Do NOT show my face (only may see owl in camera LCD screen)
  6. Take photographs and retreat.

If I show my face, the owl flushes, which is NOT desired.

At the nest …
By contrast, this this Barn Owl’s mate does not care what I do. I could even sing at the top of my lungs, and it sleeps through my serenade.

Just 50 yards away the Great Horned Owlets are getting bigger. At home in Minnesota, these owlets would now be branching, but that is not possible where they live. Their first movement will be flight … Mom keeping watch nearby … the Red-Tailed Hawk was hunting very close to the nest at 7 am both mornings.

Final Super Monopod photograph

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