Category Archives: Year 9

Great Horned Owl Eats Opossum (videos)

Year 9

I almost did not hike over to the Pine Grove with all the thimbleberries this morning. There were intermittent showers, and after spending so much time with my owl family yesterday, I did not “feel the need”! I’m glad I changed my mind and decided to take a hike. One Great Horned Owl has centered its hunting within a 300 yard area. The combination of good hunting perches and plentiful thimbleberries is fantastic. Shortly after I arrived this morning, the owl caught an opossum. I hope you enjoy all the images including the half speed video.

Checking out a Pesky Squirrel

Down the Hatch

Opossum, Tastes Like Chicken!

Within Seconds of Finishing its Meal, the Owl Resumed Hunting

Videos of The Great Horned Owl Eating its Breakfast, an Opossum. The first video is at full speed, while the second is at half speed. (video links for email subscribers: full speed | half speed).

I suspect many of you do not know what a thimbleberry looks and tastes like. While the owl was eating Opossum, I was gorging myself on thimbleberries this morning.

These thigh to waist high plants grow in northern, shady forests where a reasonable amount of light ultimately reaches the forest floor during the day. The leaves look like large maple leaves, and the fruit has the appearance of a big raspberry … and is quite tasty. I ate over 25 berries while owling yesterday afternoon! My owls have hunted this particular pine grove for at least four years. Once the fruit ripens I know they will return to the area. There is a wealth of small mammals and birds eating the berries, which in turn gets hunted by the owls. (cell phone pics taken yesterday afternoon in the sun)

 

Sunflower Owl Morning!

Year 9,

The last two nights my owlets have been begging for food … almost right in my yard. Thus, this morning I decided to go owling at 6 am (sunrise). It’s actually pretty easy to find the Great Horned Owl family during twilight hours right now. Go hike off trail where the thimble berries are ripening, and one finds the owls. All the small mammals and birds eating the berries means good hunting for owls (I also ate a lot of berries!). I just listen for the begging calls, and then hope I am able to find their perches (difficult in a pine forest … sight lines are difficult).

After owling I worked out at Cardiac Rehab followed by a trip to the Wrenshall Sunflower Field. A trip to Matten Road in Wrenshall in the morning is a delight for the senses right now. Here is the Google Maps link.

Birding in the Rain! (Pacific Loons)

Year 9

My apologies to Gene Kelly and his great performance of Singing in the Rain, the only words from the lyrics which I have changed are bolded!

Birding in the Rain
I’m birding in the rain
Just birding in the rain
What a glorious feelin’
I’m happy again
I’m laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun’s in my heart
And I’m ready for Loons
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I’ve a smile on my face
I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just birding‘,
Birding‘ in the rain

Yup, yesterday I was birding in the heavy to pouring rain. For 90 minutes I put up with the ugly conditions in Alaska because on a small lake (the Minnesotan in me would call it a pond) I watched my third species of loons ever seen in my life, two Pacific Loons. You can see the impact of the rain drops on the water’s surface in most of the images. Why did I stay outside and get wet? I hoped the loons would eventually swim over to where I was hiding. They did! I was singing in the rain!

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Pacific Loons (video links for email subscribers: one | two)