Stephen Barnard in Idaho is sending lots of photos, for the owls and the eagles on his property have young about to fledge. Plus he saw BABY COYOTES. So here’s the latest installment:
Desi (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) taking off from the nest. When they take off they launch into the air and then drop to pick up air speed. I guess it’s easier than flapping wings.
Great Horned Owlets (Bubo virginianus). I thought there were only two until today. [May 23]
I was lucky to capture this fledgling (one of three) in flight. They’ve been out of the nest for a couple of days and are a little clumsy, especially on the landings, but rapidly improving. The adults were watchful. I got some pretty good digiscoped video of one taking off.
This is a freeze-frame from a 4K digiscoped video of an adult taking off.
Coyote pups! (Canis latrans):
The one in profile was super bold — much more so than his siblings.
And two videos:
I was lucky to capture this fledgling Great Horned Owl (Bubo viginianus; one of three) in flight. They’ve been out of the nest for a couple of days and are a little clumsy, especially on the landings, but rapidly improving. The adults were watchful. I got some pretty good digiscoped video of one taking off.
A Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) was an unwelcome moocher at the
eagle nest.
Awesome pictures, Stephen! The coyote pups are of course a special treat. And we see the owls have done especially well to fledge 3 chicks.
I heard a comment on a “nature” programme a few days ago that the amount of play that the youngsters indulge in is a good proxy for the overall health of the whole pack (pride, whatever). Certainly seems a good way of thinking about it to me.
Wow. A great batch of pics and videos Stephen. Those coyote pups are almost too cute to handle.
The fifth pic, the owl perched on a branch, I like the contrast of the soft downy feathers, like a beautiful plush full length coat, with just a couple of the tips of cold hard razor sharp claws peeking out.
A “steel fist in a velvet glove,” to quote a description of some historical nasty person.
A good description. Also reminds of the Rabbit of Caerbannog. Or maybe not. There really wasn’t any subtlety to speak of with it. More “in your face.” But the incongruity is similar.
It wasn’t clear in my comments that the owlets in the first photo are from a different batch than the one flying (which also was one of three).
Wonderful stuff Stephen, thanks! The pups are so cute! Lucky you (well, and prepared you and you out in the field all the time!)
What an amazing group of photos and videos.
A fantastic post.
The stance of some of the baby coyotes look like lambs from the back.
Really exciting to see all…
Made my day and it’s 6:00 am here.
Wonderful Wile E.s
In the magpie video, is that a young eagle couple, or a pair of 2016 chicks, nearly mature? (I seem to remember from somewhere that the white head doesn’t happen for several years, but what I seem to remember and what’s correct aren’t always the same.)
They’re this year’s chicks. It seems odd to call them “chicks” when they’re this big.
Fantastic photos Stephen. Finding photos like these on my computer in the morning is one of life’s real pleasures. Bravo to you.
The still of the owl in the video looks like he (?) has just realised that he’s left the gas on as he’s leaving the house.
Beautiful photos and videos! A program I watched about owls a few weeks ago said the flight of owls is almost totally silent – no flapping noise or anything. The secret is in the feathers.
Coyote pups are so cute!
That’s true. It’s a spooky feeling when a large owl flies close by and you hear absolutely nothing.
So six new owls on your property! Bravo. Are great horned owls territorial or do they migrate far from their birth place? Seems to me they stay pretty close to where they were hatched, but that’s just a hunch.
All the photos are superb Steven.
The Desi photo really exemplifies his fierce talons. Those things are shredders.
These stick around all winter when the food supply is good, which it has been the last couple of years.
Great shots! Coyotes are definitely my favourite mammal. So lucky you got to watch those pups!
Puppies!!!!
You sure picked up that video thing quickly–as I expected you would. 🙂