The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

Not un usual visitor

18 comments


Great Horned Owl .(Bubo virginianus)

We do not see this owl very often (thanks goodness)
It showed up the other day and stayed with us the whole day, sitting in the rail by OH’s homemade fountain.

Very intimidating yellow-eyed stare saying: "do not mess with me.

Aggressive , powerful and fearless in its hunting….sometimes known by nickname a ‘tiger owl’

I would not feel comfortable sitting on the deck while it was there. My OH likes owls and we do have a resident Barred owl (Strix varia) staying close by all the time. I call him Barney.

They suppose to be nocturnal but he is hunting during the day also.

He is not sitting there just to look pretty. He is on the hunt. Drama is unfolding now.

Just waiting for an opportunity. I could not see what he was after and hoped that it is not a hummingbird. They have a feeder just a few few feet from his position here.

I’ve never seen him being interested in a hummingbird and they do irritate him on occasion, flying curiously up to his beak.

He was actually after a Junco living in the Virginia creeper on the opposite wall. He got it and flew away. It was sad to see but we have less squirrels and rodents around these days. Junco is a very small bird and I was surprised he would be interested.

I know our robins truly hate him and bunching up together to chase him away. Especially around the breeding season. I know when robins “yell” the owl is around.
A great amount of wildlife surrounding us is a big part of our life here. It is happy and sad, good and bad.

More blog posts by klahanie_

Previous post: Lovely day on Southern V. Island

Next post: Phlox



Comments

 

Fascinating blog Klahanie...he looks a mighty evil one although very handsome...Reminded me of 'The Staircase' I've just finished viewing .It's a true story about an American journalist(played by Colin Firth), whose wife was supposedly killed by a similar owl.The second series isn't out yet so I'm not sure if the owl was the culprit.The incident was described as a very viscous attack.

24 Aug, 2022

 

I know the story Julia. It was big about a decade ago here.
Although, the owl argument came later and was never tested in the court.

25 Aug, 2022

 

How lucky you are to have these stunning birds in full view around you! Wonderful photos and thanks for sharing, Klahanie.
On holiday last week we kept hearing a strange kee-wit screech every night that was very loud. We had never heard the noise before and I subsequently discovered it was a female tawny owl. We tracked her down to a large beech tree in the farmhouse garden. You learn something new every day!

25 Aug, 2022

 

wow what a wonderful specimen. They usually hunt during the day dont they? Wonder why it didnt.
Generally brown/black eyes are nocturnal , orange is at twilight and yellow are diurnal, though many will hunt at different times depending if they are breeding.

I love owls. Not read that book or seen the film which is odd as I do like Colin Firth. Must look out for it.
We get a pair of tawny owls around here and they a such beautiful birds.

25 Aug, 2022

 

How amazing to have these wonderful creatures in your garden Klahanie, he's stunning! Such a beauty. And little Barney. I do love owls and only see them in birds of prey centres. Saying that there are Tawneys close by hooting in the churchyard at night. It was only yesterday I called in our Men in Sheds place asking if they could make me an.owl box. What type of owl they asked. So I'm looking at Tawney owl boxes..:) favourite of all is our ghostly Barn Owl. Thanks so much for posting this, he really is beautiful.

25 Aug, 2022

 

Wonderful close-ups Klahanie ā€¦ lovely for us to see. Thank you for sharing šŸ™‚.

25 Aug, 2022

 

What a stunning bird.

25 Aug, 2022

 

I see we have lots of owl lovers here. Thank you all for your thoughts, stories and compliments. XXX

25 Aug, 2022

 

Some of the best wildlife photos I have ever seen on GOY. I have a protected wooded area in the back of my property and I have heard the great horned owl and screech owl at night but have never seen them in all the years I have been living here. To hear their calls at night still makes my hair stand on end.

25 Aug, 2022

 

That is a great compliment Loosestrife, thank you.
Maybe one day the owl from the back woods will get the mink which eats your fish :-)

25 Aug, 2022

 

when we got back from taking our youngest to her new home we heard a pair of tawny's in the trees around us. We also saw several barn owls too.

26 Aug, 2022

 

Klahanie what a smashing blog!! Thanks for sharing your pics with us. What an amazing owl!!! So photogenic. The info you detailed was fascinating too, odd that he was out of his routine? Certainly wasn't afraid was he!
I've really enjoyed reading your blog, enthralling indeed!

26 Aug, 2022

 

One of the most interesting, unusual and fascinating blogs I have seen on here. Amazing photos plus very informative words.
Many thanks for all you have told us.

26 Aug, 2022

 

SBG, I do not think we have tawny owls around here. I wish we would.
------------------------------------
Thank you Kate and Wildrose for your kind comments. I am pleased that you found this blog interesting.

27 Aug, 2022

 

Iā€™m another owl lover, so loved your blog. He is magnificent. They have to live too, so we just have to live with what they do. We have tawny owls Ut they are difficult to see, so just hear them hooting at night. Ty. for your lovely blog & photos.

28 Aug, 2022

 

Thank you Feverfew for reading and liking my "owl" blog.

28 Aug, 2022

 

Flagged to admin. for removal.

29 Aug, 2022

Add a comment

Recent posts by klahanie_

Members who like this blog

  • Gardening with friends since
    29 Jan, 2011

  • Gardening with friends since
    21 Nov, 2013

  • Gardening with friends since
    2 Jul, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    30 Nov, 2009

  • Gardening with friends since
    5 May, 2010

  • Gardening with friends since
    4 Oct, 2008

  • Gardening with friends since
    13 May, 2014

  • Gardening with friends since
    28 Apr, 2016

  • Gardening with friends since
    2 Feb, 2019

  • Gardening with friends since
    14 Jul, 2012