A Very Cool Visitor (Tons o' Pics)

matthewdanger

matthewdanger

Joined
Jan 29, 2003
Messages
1,568
Over the last several days we have been blessed with a very cool visitor. We have had Barred Owls in our woods for years but usually they would never come any closer than the creek which is about 30-40 yards from the back door. That has changed recently probably due to us using the back door less frequently in the winter. Now the owl has been roosting on our deck, patio furniture, nearby tree limbs, and bird feeder poles while it hunts moles and chipmunks.

We have actually been able to watch it hunt from less than 10 feet away. We have a few picture windows that look out over the woods in the back and these have allowed us to be up close and personal with these amazing creatures. They are so mellow that I can actually walk right up to a window in full view of the owl while it watches no more than 10-12 feet away!

Being able to get that close makes for some great pictures...

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what a awesome visitor. i need to take pictures of mine. i have a hawk that lives in my back yard and he is always around i just keep missing him with the camera.

very good shots sir
 
Esav Benyamin said:
He looks real comfortable there! He must be eating well.
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He is certainly eating well! They seem to really covet the little moles that browse around under the bird feeders. They sit on top of the feeders looking down the whole time; just waiting for a mole to pop out of a snow tunnel.

They will also take frogs and crawdads from the creek, chipmunks (which we have plenty of), voles from the fields across the creek, and small birds while the feed on the ground or nest.

It is really amazing to watch these animals hunt.
 
SpookyPistolero said:
Awesome pics! I've not seen such close shots of an owl in a residential area.
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Thanks. The owls (and other predators really do well around here). We are not in a typical residential area. Every has very large lots and we are essentially at the edge of "civilized" Indianapolis. Our area was farmland until very recently. In a somewhat concentrated area we have prairie/fields, tons of woods, some wetlands, a healthy creek, and a couple of good sized ponds. The owls really seem to thrive.
 
halromberg said:
That's a really rare thing to have a bird like that come hang out. Keep the cat indoors! :-)
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Funny you should mention that. Our cats LOVE to get up in the window and chatter at the owl when it is outside. The owl watches them intently as the cats watch it equally as intently. The most interesting thing is that the owl is far more agitate by the presence of the cats than it is me standing just as close.
 
matthew where are you at in indy. i live up and sheridan but was born and raised around 86th/michigan road and also my mom and dads neighborhood there is 2 owls to but i have never seen them that up close before
 
grunt soldier said:
matthew where are you at in indy. i live up and sheridan but was born and raised around 86th/michigan road and also my mom and dads neighborhood there is 2 owls to but i have never seen them that up close before
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We are down in Franklin Township. Howdy neighbor (kind of :) ).
 
Those are some great shots!!! I don't think I've seen any shots of owls that close up.
 
matthewdanger said:
Funny you should mention that. Our cats LOVE to get up in the window and chatter at the owl when it is outside. The owl watches them intently as the cats watch it equally as intently. The most interesting thing is that the owl is far more agitate by the presence of the cats than it is me standing just as close.
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Big owls prey on feral cats maybe he is sizing him up for dinner :D
 
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