Fledgling Eastern Screech Owls..Real Cuties

Screech Owls are the quite small owls with a baneful screech, a sound that has frightened many visitors to unfamiliar night woods. To imagine what creature was calling out would not bring thoughts of the small Eastern Screech Owl.  Once heard and recognized, there is no fear in the sound but rather an appreciation of nature around you. Follow the link to  hear sounds of the screech owl.

There is a new group of fledgling screeches at the Clinch River Raptor Center and also a group of young Kestrel falcons.  The owls came from different places and vary slightly in growth and development of feathers. In these photos, you may see a reddish coloration.  Otherwise, the color is mostly gray.  In the wild the owls are seen in both red and gray versions. Full color will develop as the owls mature.

 Notice the talons: Owls have four toes, with three front toes and one in the back just as do hawks. However, when owls perch they put two toes forward and move one to the back.

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Is this owl saying you almost deserve a wink?

Fledgling birds are those old enough to leave the nest but still developing their feathers. They fly but not easily or with expertise and generally would be under the watchful eye of parents for a while longer. They are not really grown enough to be out on their own.  The birds shown will be cared for and assisted in learning to hunt for food.  All of this must be done without allowing the birds to become trusting of humans.  They must remain owls in all aspects and know they are wild and not closely associated with people.  If all goes well, when ready and able the screech owls will be released into the wild.

I was with these owls about a minute, not longer. With five youngsters in the area they each had found a place to perch and did not try to fly with me present. They made soft little owl sounds and no screeches. 

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Thomas Haynes is a photographer working out of Clinton, Tennessee, a city just north of Knoxville. His photography is often of a fine arts direction but as in this post, his love of nature takes him again to the Clinch River Raptor Center, a rehabilitation and educational not-for-profit organization.. Visit Thomas and see more of his photography at  Facebook

 Contact Thomas to discuss photography you want done. 

Red-tailed Hawk, Flying Hunting

This is another Red-tailed hawk without a red tail.  The other one is in a previous post and lives at the Clinch River Raptor Center. The hawk in this post lives in the wild, hunting and living and raising its family in nature. Why no red tail?  It is too young for that.  Read the other post to learn more about that bit of growing up for these hawks. The one at the center now has a full red tail.

Now, here is the tale of the photos you will see here.

My wife was driving and she said a hawk just dove into a field.  Of course, this means it was hunting lunch and might have caught it.  We went back and parked at the edge of the field which was bordered on the far side with a woods line.  Soon enough I saw the hawk flying over the field.  Did it get lunch?  We do not know but it was certainly hunting as we watched.  It went back and forth high above the field and into the woods line. Then it reappeared and was coming our way. I hoped it would get close enough for a photo or two.  It did, not close enough for a really sharp photo but the best in-flight raptor photos in a long year.

We were leaving lunch on a Sunday when it all happened.  The lens in the camera was a zoom, 18mm to 200mm.  You can figure 1x (one magnification) for each 50mm with a 35mm camera and with the digital camera I had with me.  At 200mm, that meant the magnification was about 4x, not as strong as a pair of 7x binoculars.  That lens was not long enough to get closer photos!   Also, as the lens was zoomed to the maximum length of 200mm, the aperture (opening for light) would go down. The widest opening was f/5.6 but that was ok…the day was bright and sunny. 

The light going into the camera would determine how fast a shutter could be used. My concern was having enough light to get a fast shutter speed to stop the flight of the hawk.  All was just about perfect as anyone could hope for, except for having the wrong lens on the camera.  I cannot complain at all; with nature you take what good she offers and do not complain about it.  All in all, the settings were mostly like this: ISO 400, f/5.6, shutter 1/3200 of a second. The camera controlled the shutter speed and that was plenty fast enough.  The primary concern once I knew the light was sufficient was how would the bird look on the photos? Generally, a bright sky is going to dominate everything and the hawk would be a silhouette (thank you, spell check).   The answer is to set the camera to “spot metering”.  All cameras do not have this setting  but it will often make the difference in getting a photo or not. Set to spot metering, the camera sets its exposure based on the light where the camera is focused.  I focused on the hawk and it came out with the sky also ok. Lighting was very even that day and  exposure might have been acceptable with normal settings but why take a chance with a rare opportunity. 

   

Getting some fairly decent photos is the blessing. Had there been no camera, the sight of seeing that bird fly so gracefully and determined was an opportunity to peek at nature in action. That the hawk stayed long over the field and close enough to watch it search for food was quite unusual and very appreciated.

BROAD-WINGED HAWK, a bird to teach a class

The Broad-Winged Hawk is one of the more plentiful hawks in the United States, a soaring hawk which is about the size of an overweight crow. These birds find it most comfortable to stay near forest areas and away from people while they spend spring and summer seasons in the eastern United States and southern Canada. When fall season arrives, the adults are ready and the babies have now grown into strong fliers, ready for migration. The time arrives to leave and all the hawks know it, no alarm clock or calendar needed.  As these hawks start flying from Canada and the northern United States, they flock together and more and more companions join along the way.  The migration is spectacular!  In certain areas you may watch as thousands of these raptors pass by together.  Like a kettle full of birds, the flying groups are called "kettles", a word for groups of raptors together.  Check the Internet for photos and videos of Broad-Winged Hawk migration. 

See the Migration Map at this Cornell website:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Broad-winged_Hawk/lifehistory/ac

Where are they headed and why do they leave when fall arrives?  Would you want to be where you have plenty of food?  So do the hawks. They eat small critters like toads, lizards and insects. During the winter months this food is very scarce and not plentiful enough to feed the birds.  The hawks take off on a trip south, to where it is summer time while we go through winter here.  Can you imagine flying from the northern USA to Central America and north western South America?  These hawks do it every year then come back for spring and summer here and raise their new families.

The hawks mouth and tongue is clearly visible

Amigo is a Broad-Winged hawk at the Clinch River Raptor Center.  Why is he in the rehabilitation center?  Unfortunately, this beautiful hawk was found with wing damage and could not fly. There is no repair possible for the wing and in the wild woods Amigo would not be able to fly and live.  Still, this hawk has a chance to live a long life even if not in the wild.  Once rescued, the hawk has a chance at another life.  Because this Broad-Winged can help the wild birds through education of people, we see this as better than dying from starvation or being food for another animal.  The real plus for Amigo is shelter, food and good care for life.

These photos are part of a Resume for Amigo.  This raptor is ready to be trained as an educational bird who will travel to schools, campgrounds, club meetings and other gatherings where caretakers will teach about hawks and owls. Amigo will sit on a gloved hand and people will be able to see a beautiful little hawk up close. For the resume, selected photos and information will be sent to other raptor rehab and educational centers so that Amigo may be placed in a new home and trained for this new job.

We all wish Amigo could have been repaired and released back into the wild. If so, the hawk would have been given only a temporary name and kept as wild as possible while healing. Human interaction for releasable birds is kept to a minimum while providing essentials for healing and preparation for release. A day for release would come and we would smile as the little hawk flew away, finding a renewed life in nature where the wild critters are meant to be. Had that been the case, the hawk would still need to stay at the center and wait for spring to arrive. Do you know why?  Migration time has passed and there is not food enough during the winter season.

Typical perch materials include artificial turf.  Improper perch material may lead to "bumble foot", a disease of the pads of the foot bottom from injury or pressure sores followed with infection. Proper perching material is essential as is activity away from the perch when possible. Falconers, licensed rehabilitators and zoo personnel must be well aware of proper foot care for captive birds.

Note the yellow cere of the beak

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Make comments as you wish. E-mail if interested in more or to ask about photo purchases (without the watermark).

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I always thank God for this earth and the care He gives us in getting through it.  That thanksgiving includes the creatures, large and small, beautiful or strange.

The Clinch River Raptor Center is Exceptional

This post is for new readers who may not have seen the photos and read the stories of birds of prey contained in this blog. Postings carry subject titles: Look for "Raptors and Raptor Rehab" in the categories list a short scroll down the right column. Click there to open links to several posts about the birds. You will see photos of owls, hawks and even vultures.  The long term resident hawks and owls are pictured and you should find those photographs for the most part beautiful, entertaining and educational. 

 This Barn Owl had a broken wing and was very weak

when first brought to the center. The caretaker and veterinarian 

did not think it would live.

 

Whether Barred owls,  little Eastern Screech Owls, enticing and fierce appearing Great Horned Owls or the Barn Owls, focused determined hunters with white wings giving an almost angelic appearance... these will be at the Clinch River Raptor Center from time to time.  The birds are there to heal and be returned to the wild after some tragic event could have cost their lives. Fortunate rescued birds have injury or illness which will respond to treatment and the bird can recover and be set free.   The unfortunate are too badly injured, sick or malnourished to survive but do get a chance to live they would not have if left in the wild.  When a bird must be euthanized,  it will go to sleep and pass on in peace with out the suffering inflicted by death in the wild.

The same applies to the day hunters, the hawks rescued and living at the Clinch River Raptor Center.  Hawks and other day hunting raptors within the area served by the center generally include the smallest falcons, Kestrels. A summer ago the center was a nursery for several groups of these small hunters with 8 to 12 kestrels all chirping for food.  These birds were healthy but without parents or a natural home,  Having left their nests for some reason and unable to return, the youngsters were raised, taught to hunt and when ready were released.  The same summer saw a large population of baby screech owls...natural comedians and in a group of 12 the cuteness was almost too much and we all were amused. Still, each would find its own way in the wild once grown enough to release.

This is the same Barn Owl many weeks later.  The bird had  an amazing recovery and gained full use of the broken wing, an unexpected result. The tireless and constant care of dedicated staff

led to one fine day when the bird was released on a farm with much open land.  
The owl made a home in a barn there.

A great many of the raptors brought to the center are healed and set free.  Always it is an exciting and joyful event to see a bird fly to freedom and back to the life nature intended. The rehabilitation worked!   A rare few are injured in a way that will heal but still will not allow the bird to survive in nature. For instance, a bird with damaged eyesight or a broken wing which healed but will not support active flight can not be returned to the place it once claimed  home in nature. These birds are trained to be educational raptors, being part of programs designed to promote knowledge of the raptors and ultimately welfare for the birds in the wilds of nature itself, nature often being forced into coexistence and land sharing with human invasion.  Educational birds have a home for life at the Clinch River Raptor Center.   They receive excellent care and are able to carry on with their particular disability.

 This Osprey was found struggling and almost dead near a lake. Fortunately, the bird responded to treatment and was released to fly free at a lake where it might have less competition.  Sometime previously,  another Osprey was found shot and also near death.  At first it was believed to be the male of a nesting pair then raising chicks.  With only the mother to care for the babies, chances of survival were slim.  The bird gave it all but died from its wound. As for the nesting birds, the male showed up soon after and we realized the bird that died was a different Osprey.  The nesting birds are regular every year, using the same nest atop a power line tower overlooking the lake. A few nest repairs are made and  each year they raise new chicks. That shooter took the life of one magnificent bird. Had that bird been the male from the active nest, the toll would have been one adult and two chicks, all for a "little fun" shooting at birds...an illegal act, certainly.

(I must apologize for the poor quality of this photograph.)

 

The Clinch River Raptor Center sets free the minds of children,  giving them a small glimpse into the real world of nature and birds of prey.  Located in a middle school, volunteer students spend part of a school year after classes visiting the center. There they learn about hawks, owls, occasional vultures and other birds more rarely like the Osprey. 

The students learn how to clean cages and feed the birds. While most birds are fed dead mice, special diets must match the natural food of the particular bird. The Osprey got fish..talapia from a local market! Penguins eat fish and smell like fish. So do Ospreys.

A few of the students are able to take part in educational events, holding a raptor on a gloved hand to be seen and appreciated.   How many middle school students have held an adult Barred Owl, Eastern Screech Owl or Red Tailed Hawk?  Those who have do not forget the experience and carry with them an honest appreciation of nature, an appreciation that remains through future years.

To me, the birds of prey are another of the creations of God, misunderstood by many people but bound to interact some place, some way. I now see the second part of that statement applies to the critters of nature and also to the nature of God.

Older Red-tailed Hawk, a true lady hawk

Mildred is an educational bird living at the Clinch River Raptor Center and has been previously featured on this blog.  This is posted only to show a new and fine photograph of her. She is affectionately called Millie. The eye color is that of an adult Red-tailed; in juveniles the iris is light colored as shown in an earlier post.

The watermark across the photo is unfortunately necessary to help prevent ripping of the image for uses not approved by the copyright owners. Educational  uses are generally approved for photos on this blog and can be provided in small file sizes without the watermark suitable for viewing on a computer screen. As always, prints may be purchased, printed without watermark, photo developed on archival Kodak or Fuji papers.  E-mail me if you have questions about the photographs or in general about something on the blog.

 She is getting older but doing well..a lovely Red-tailed Hawk.

Red Tailed Hawk Beak and Eye Close Up

This is the same young bird of prey in the post below. After seeing the photos showing the beak close up, I decided to post today for anyone who wants to see a good look at a red tailed hawk beak.  The eye is clean and clear but is not quite the richer iris color of the mature red tailed hawk...a little more time and the eye will be that of an adult. On the chest there is more "butter scotch" color than when Jesse was younger.  A detailed full shot of this hawk will be posted when I get a really good one.

Click for larger view. Sorry, the watermark across the photo is needed to help prevent unauthorized use of photographic property belonging to me and the raptor center.  For prices of large prints without the watermark please email me from link at top right. I will clear your email from the spam blocker and get back with you, keeping your information private.

News Today: Young Red Tailed Hawk Has Grown Red Tail Feathers

Breaking News..September 10,2011, the Red Tailed Hawk is now grown up...the Red Tail Feathers Are In and Beautiful.
See photo below...

Birds of Prey Go Through Stages of Growing Into Adult Hawks and Owls We Recognize.  The Tail Feathers of the Red Tailed Hawk are a Dramatic Example...

If you look back at the post from June 2, 2011, you will see Jesse, a young hawk in training as a educational bird. Notice the tail has no red feathers!  The red tailed hawk must grow those rich brownish red tail feathers as it matures. Also, the eye color will become the striking rich orange brown of the adult. This young hawk does not yet have the adult eye color but is quite close. 

To find that earlier post look under the "secret behind ancient trees" photo on the right and click on the post theme "Raptors and Raptor Rehab".  When that comes up scroll down to see find the back view of this hawk with stripped but no red tail feathers.  While in the theme of raptors, you will also see a post showing the growth of a Broad Winged Hawk born this year and now released back into the wild.

I find the color of these new feathers marvelous.  During a fairly recent visit, this hawk would not turn around long enough for a decent photograph.  I saw only two red feathers and one of those was just starting to come in. 

Count the feathers from today.  There are five, including 4 long feathers and a shorter one which will reach the proper length fairly soon.  The feathers beneath are still the juvenile stripped feathers and will be dropped and replaced with the tail feathers giving this kind of hawk its name.

Today, unlike any previous visits, Jesse the red tailed hawk seemed to strut her(or his) new colors.  "Look at me! This is great!"

Edited On 9-16-2011
This hawk strutted on September 10, 2011 when I went to take a look. All the red tail feathers are in and are beautiful. Now you know about the red tail feathers. 

 

As always, I thank the Creator for these magnificent animals and am very grateful to be a volunteer photographer for the Clinch River Raptor Center.  The raptor center is part of the Clinch River Environmental Sciences Organization, a source of excellent research, rehab, educational programs and learning provider for many school children.  The organization does bird banding, box turtle research, snake research and other environmental projects along with the raptor rehabilitation and education functions.

Broad Winged Hawk from Nestling to Almost Grown

Broad Winged Hawk Migration is Coming..
Grow up little hawk!

This is the growth of a wonderful Broad Winged Hawk from nestling to fledgling to almost grown enough to be set free. These birds have to grow up in a hurry.

The first photo is from July 2, 2011. This little hawk was nestless and was cared for in a nest made of pine needles in a suitable basket. Notice the downy covering of the baby bird.

July 7, 2011 arrived and the Broad Winged Hawk looks like a gangly adolescent. Actually, the bird was brought in from special home care to the rehabilitation center for raptors and provided the pine needle nest. When a bird leaves the nest it is called a fledgling. This one was a little young for that but left the nest anyway.

July 16, 2011 arrived and the hawk has changed a lot. Do you think so? Click the photo to see the larger version and look for what remains of the downy feathers.

July 21, 2011 came and the hawk is just at full sized. The bird will lose that last tiny bit of down, perhaps gain weight and feather out a little more. Note the eyes:  The eyes are the color for a juvenile and some time will pass for the color to change to the rich eye color of the adult.  The photos below were also taken on July 21, 2011.

The hawk is on a schedule to South America and will need to mature before migration time arrives. Not having been raised by its natural mother and father, it is good that  this hawk will likely join others sometime during the long migration flight.


When fall and winter are here in North America, the new hawks join older ones to migrate. Broad Winged Hawks will migrate to northern South America, a flight recorded by satellite of selected hawks to be 4,350 miles!* That is a long flight. This hawk is typical of the Broad Winged, solid, medium sized and beautiful. Long before migration time, this bird will have been released and honed its flight and hunting skills in nature, living as it should in the wild. Then migration comes and the hawks know what to do and where to go. While some birds migrate alone, Broad Winged Hawks gather in large groups called “kettles” and along the migration route may be seen in groups of 100's or many more spread out on the sky as they fly by to their new home.  When the seasons change, the hawks will return to North America to nest and raise a new family.



These stocky hawks are in the soaring family called buteo. However, they often hunt from the canopy of the forest, able to dive down through the trees to find a dinner of amphibians, large insects, small mammals and sometimes a small bird.




To hear their voice, visit the *Cornell Lab of Ornithology at this link:                          Cornell Ornithology, Broad Winged Hawk


July 29...Special Announcement

Broad Winged Hawk Released On July 29, 2011

And Is Now Living In The Wild

I apologize for not having good photos of the young Broad Winged Hawk flying to freedom. Here is a photo of the bird just prior to the flight. Lighting was not bright enough to use a quick shutter speed to stop the blur of the wings and the flight. When the hawk flew, my positioning also proved not the best. Every released bird does fly away but in different paths and directions. This Broad Winged Hawk stayed almost a minute looking at the surroundings.  Remember, for the young bird this is a first time into freedom. It does not know what to expect and is not fully aware where it's nature will lead. The glove raised and suddenly the Broad Winged flew, quite quick, low and away from me immediately to behind a tree line. 

The hawk was released in the arboretum operated by The University of Tennessee in the eastern part of the state. The Arboretum is within the 2,260 acre Oak Ridge Forest and there is room enough for these birds within the nature site. In the background is Kevin Hoyt, appointed on July 5, 2011 as new director for the facility. Will the young hawk stay in this forest? We really do not know but both the hawk and the forest will be well served it if does.  A link is here for the UT Arboretum:          Arboretum Release Area

HOW TO KNOW THE BIRD IS READY TO BE RELEASED--

First of all, the hawk must be old enough and well able to fly. This broad winged hawk spent the last 8 days in the larger enclosure which allows flight room.  The bird is given a live diet similar to what it would hunt in the wild.  Like owls, hawks also spit out  pellets of indigestible items and the pellets are examined to see what has been eaten.  Flight and energy levels are also observed and health is evaluated.  When ready to go, the birds can become quite active and if held too long when ready the feathers may be broken or damaged from eager flying in an enclosure.  This Broad Winged Hawk was in perfect condition for release.  Naturally, as with a bird from then nest, juvenile birds will develop wing strength and improve hunting skills while in the natural environment.  It is exciting to see a bird fly to freedom!  I always pray for it to survive well and learn to cope in nature quickly.

                                                                                                      

Baby Barred Owls Gaining Feathers and Eyelid Comedy

Baby owls can be very entertaining, in this case playing eyelid games without thinking about it.. They are cute in their baby fuzz while feathers come in.  Yet, make no mistake about it:  These are owls and even if young will show defensive measures and "ask" me to leave them alone. They do not want me in their enclosure and will make barking sounds by clicking their beaks, telling me to back off.   The smaller one on the right blinked and the photo shows the third eyelid, named the nictitating membrane.  This type of third eyelid is found in many animals and serves a general purpose of protection for the eye.  The owl is fine and healthy.  The photo just happened to catch the eyes with both nictitating eyelids closed.  In an instant, the eyelids retracted and the eyes were again the large deep orbs we are used to seeing in Barred Owls.

 

These two Barred Owls lost their nest and are being raised to be released into the wild. When ready, they will go to a larger enclosure to fly and strengthen their wing muscles. While there they will "hunt" and grab their dinners.  Without parents to teach these babies, training is not easy and during all of it the owls must keep their fear of people, avoiding us and not seeing people as substitute parents.

Check out this link to learn about the extra eyelid.
Nictitating Eyelid

Red-tailed Hawk Without Red Tail...a Growing Up Event

This Red-tailed hawk is named Jesse, a name suited to either gender and given while the bird was much younger and its sex was unknown. Jesse is still not an adult  but has the size and heft of a female. Larger size almost always means female in this raptor world. Side by side, males are obviously a smaller bird. Visit the Cornell Department of Ornithology website on Red-tailed hawks to learn specifics and hear the call: About Red-tailed Hawks



"Jesse, when you get a tail worthy of your name...then we let the school kids see you.  We do have an image to uphold."  Actually, the younger hawk will get the red tail before long. Her eyes are becoming close to the rich color of adult eyes but still have a way to go.  And...since the hawks are taken one at a time to educational programs, the large lady hawk on the right might not know that Jesse has already gone to educational programs and has done very well. They now occupy the same living quarters and seem to do fine together.

About the red tail...the tail will go red and I will try to follow the events with photos. This is how it works: Birds need balance in flight and when feathers drop as part of the natural events in the bird's life, the feathers drop symmetrically. Feathers from the same relative locations will drop from the tail, left and right. Then two new ones grow and are the red color. Then, two more drop and two more grow in.  The whole time, the hawk keeps "balance" in the feathers so flight is not adversely affected. That is a neat bit of knowledge.   

Both of the Red-tailed Hawks are fed freshly thawed mice and prefer eating from a gloved hand.  This means the bird jumps onto the handler's glove and then gets to eat the mice held there. The handler holds snugly to allow a little bite at a time but with a strong tug the hawks sometimes take the whole mouse to gulp down in one bite.  Each bird is fed a specified weight of food and what is and is not eaten is diligently recorded each day.

This ends the posting on the educational birds from the Clinch River Raptor Center. These birds are a wonderful asset to the region in helping people understand relationships between humans and wildlife. As usable habitat becomes smaller, we must learn to share with the animals  living on the land before us and treat them with respect as valuable parts of nature. I hope you enjoyed seeing these beautiful examples of raptors.

Two Categories of Hawks

The photo below is how all the educational birds are meant to be...in the wild, perching or soaring as would the Red-tailed hawks. Red-tailed bodies and wings are meant to ride the air and from there they often hunt. They belong with other soaring hawks to a group called Buteos. Their diet is mainly rodents and similar small animals. 

The Accipters are the hawks who do not soar to hunt but are smaller with rounded shorter wings and are most agile and able to fly among the forest trees and bushes where other hawks cannot follow. Their diet is mostly birds. One day I will post photos of  a  Cooper's Hawk.  Look at the post of April 26, 2011 to see a Sharp Shinned hawk immediately before it flew to freedom after healing. These are much smaller hawks than the Red-tailed and are fine examples of the Accipter group.

The Falcons are known for speed and nabbing their dinner from the sky.  Have you heard of the Peregrine? This is likely the fastest bird in our area when in a dive. There are none of these birds at the center. The smallest Falcon in the United States is the American Kestrel, a bird feature in the post of May 5, 2011. While the Peregrine may diet on pigeons and similar birds, the Kestrel eats quite small mammals and insects such as crickets and bugs.

There are other birds of prey, of course. Eagles and Ospreys are just two of the other types. To find out more, visit the Internet and also find a good introductory book to birds in general.

The Birds Living at Clinch River Raptor Center

Do not shed a tear for the birds living at the center: They have a good home, are healthy, well cared and have adapted well to their situations. They are alive only by the grace of having been rescued and healed, now performing a service of education and always bringing wide eyes, joy and a new perspective to children and adults who first see these wonderful creatures from nature. While many rescued raptors are healed and released back into the wild, the educational birds do their part in helping the wild birds. The better people understand the critters of nature and realize these are valuable parts of creation, the more able we may be to share this planet. At least, that is the plan. The educational birds do much to help in this needed understanding.

Screech Owls Call and Brave Men Shiver

There is nothing quite like a first night in the woods at night, the fire dying down and the sleeping bag pulled up far enough to cover most of your face. You have heard sounds in the dark, in the woods around you but you know it is ok.  Everyone said it would be ok and nothing is going to get you.  Still, as you start to pass into sleep vaguely conscious of the woodsy noises, a sound cries out like a ghost.  It doesn’t take long to sit straight up in a sleeping bag when you are motivated..  Going back to sleep will take much longer.

If you only knew how tiny the creature is whose voice made your heart beat rapidly and put chill bumps on your arms…next time you will know.  Next time you will lay back and find deep peace and awe in the stars so bright.  That voice will again break the silence and you will smile, wondering how close or how far is the little screech owl.  You will feel special for having heard it and will listen for the owl to call again.

Hear the voice of an Eastern Screech Owl, the owl heroes of this post:  Cornell Labs, Screech Owl Call 

The brown owl shown here on the glove is Peanut, a 4 year old Eastern Screech Owl.  Peanut is an adult and full sized.  The photo was shot during an educational program for a group of school teachers, most of whom have not seen an owl up close if at all.  You see, the Eastern Screech Owl is not large but you can be guaranteed these birds have large voices.

This owl is named Sly and despite being gray in color is also an Eastern Screech Owl.  The owls come in both brown and gray colors.  What is Shy doing? Sly is hiding.  The owls are safer if larger predators and people do not see them.  One method of disguise is to straighten up like a stick and stand among the branches and foliage.  Sly is against a tree trunk but still blends in enough for you to see how the disguise works. 

 

Both Peanut and Sly are at the raptor center because they have bad eyesight.  Sly is blind in one eye likely from an injury and Peanut has limited vision.  We are not sure how well Peanut can see but we do know he keeps his eyes wide open when awake.  An owl on the prowl at night would have such wide eyes but it is not normal for daylight periods.   Both of these little owls are sweeties.  They have fine homes and are healthy and well situated.  Both are real heroes in educational programs.  Peanut would normally be in comfortable shadow on the perch rather than this light needed for the photo to be taken.

The next bird to be featured is a young Red-tailed Hawk.  His (her?) tail feathers are not yet the rusty red of the adult and eye color is light.  This hawk is a beautiful bird, being trained to take part in programs.  I will post on other things or musings of the mind a few times prior to putting the young hawk on this blog. When that time comes, you will agree this is a beautiful and elegant raptor.

Barred Owl..not a Barn Owl and Not a Hoot Owl

Barred Owls are apparently doing well in the wild in the U.S.A and north into Canada.  Look at a map and draw a line up the middle of Texas into southern Canada:  Every place on the right has Barred Owls in the woods, hunting rodents at night and silently flying into deeper cover when people get close. They have better to do than pose for us and get flashlights in the eyes.   The far Northwest deep into western Canada is also home to Barred Owls.  Hear that hoo  hoo   hoo hoo hoo?  That hoot owl is not a Barred Owl and is likely a Great Horned Owl.  Barred Owls have a strange and different call.   Typically, it is described as  who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all.  I don’t believe it!  The call I hear is almost scary and strong and that owl is not cooking.   You can hear calls on the Cornell websites for different owls.  Try making an owl call.  Go ahead and do it.  You can sound close enough to a Barred or Great Horned owl to get an answer in the woods and that is neat.  Yes, practice your call and they will answer. Call and they will answer. It is a woods of dreams, owls and owl pellets.

This is Martha, a Barred Owl. That reflection in her left eye is a special eyelid called a nictitating membrane, an extra eyelid some animals have which helps clean, moisturize and protect the eye. You do not see this eyelid in the first photo. Even so, she is bind in that eye and could not make it in the wild. Her left eye does look slightly different in its reflections. She does very well at the raptor center and is a super star at educational programs. She was brought to the center in April of 2006. About 5 years old now, she is a youngster compared to Mildred the Red-tailed hawk in the previous post.  Martha does great with the ladies at the center and with the kids who clean the living area and bring her food. As for me..I get near and she makes loud clicking sounds with her beak, a sound that is scary the first time you hear it. (Most owls will make this defensive sound.)  Maybe she does not like my camera. Is it my looks?  Surely it is not my looks.   Whatever the reasons, she is saying, “Tom, go away now!"...and he goes away. At public shows, she is calm, does not click and is a fine owl willing to have her photo taken and lets her handler show off her ears hidden beneath thick head feathers.  She will turn her head around and it will be backward on her body to take a quick peek behind.  Other owls do this, too, having twice as many neck bones as we do.  We have the same number as a giraffe and they cannot turn their head all the way to the back, either.

                                                   

These birds are strong and good hunters. See the  two talons while she is on a perch?   She has four like a hawk but owls prefer to put two forward and turn one to the back when perching.  Talons are made for fetching dinner and that is not hard to imagine. 

This hunter of the night flies from a perch over a field or through the forest trees making no sound as it passes right by to nab a tasty delight. This night hunter owl weighs how much do you think?  Strong hunter, spooky strange hooty sounds at night, flying with no sound on wings 38 to 45 inches tip to tip…you guess the weight, fair enough?.  The answer is below and unlike in the comics is not turned upside down.

 

Barred Owls weigh an extreme of 500 gm to 1050 gm with average being about 780 gm or 1 ¾ pounds for a female..  The females are the largest as is true with other raptors.  

LAST CHANCE FOR FUN, AMAZE YOUR FAMILY, MAKE CHILDREN STARE AND NEIGHBORS HIDE TO PEEK FROM CLOSED CURTAINS...

Do you think you can sound like a chicken  and moo like a cow? They don't care to answer, do they.  Humm..go to the web and listen then practice those owl calls. Don't mind people giving you strange looks because you have the secret. In a nice mid-evening woods away from the traffic and people, let it loose!  This is a good time to try and you really might hear an answer.  If an owl answers, will it be worth it? Yes.