Tag Archives: MN North: Amity

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.

Flickr Photos: Updated (new url’s)

Background, Year 9

I have become increasingly dissatisfied with Instagram as a photo sharing platform. The company’s announced policy is to push videos to the exclusion of photographs. Somehow seeing five second videos of precocious young women in love with themselves does nothing for me. Instagram now heavily forces this kind of content into one’s feed. Instagram is owned by Facebook.

While I have not yet deleted my Instagram account, I have reengaged with Flickr … the original photo sharing site. You may now enjoy and view some of my better images via Flickr … no Flickr account, advertisements or precocious women viewing required. Here are my newly created albums (more to come!).

It is also possible to “follow me” on Flickr. Here is the URL to my account. Go to my Flickr photostream or profile , click on the + follow button next to my name in the cover photo at the top.