I came across this Northern Pygmy Owl in the morning right after it caught the vole and it found a secure place to eat and get cover from three chickadees and Brown Creeper that were ready to harass it.
Northern Pygmy Owl
Between December 14, 2018 through January 5, 2019 the 119th Christmas Bird Count will be taking place this season. A great way for people to get together and see how our feathered friends are dealing with the winter. The results get sent to Audubon, who can compare this year results with the previous and look for trends. If you live in the Bow Valley or visiting the Bow Valley on Saturday December 14. 2018 and would like to play a role. Pop on to the WWW for contacts and further info. by heading over to the “bowvalleynaturalists.org” site. Not a site for those who enjoy nature au naturel, for sure not middle of December in Banff. But a Bow Valley Group who deals with natural history and conservation, including where around the towns of Canmore and Banff this year CBC will be taking place.
Northern-pygmy Owl
For many, this last winter was tough, same for wildlife. Number of owls did not survive the winter, high level of snow and the snow staying on the ground for a longer period of time were the main factors. The smaller and the larger owls were not able to find the food they needed to survive, some were spotted around urban centres starving. Even those who were taken to wildlife centres, help was too late But one thing wildlife is good at, is bouncing back, as long as they have a place to call home they will do the rest.
Northern Pygmy Owl
Another Christmas Bird Count is behind us, many of us were out listening and looking for birds. The day started out cold, but it got warmer as the sun got higher. Same for coming across birds for the team I was part of, we kept seeing ravens but not much else until we got closer to the afternoon. Birding in the mountains in the winter will keep you humble. It's not uncommon to count 50, 60 or on a very lucky day even 70 different species while birding during spring and early summer. In the winter we are thrilled to come across 10 or more species in the area our team covered. Today we topped 10 and the bonus was coming across this beautiful Northern Pygmy Owl.
Northern Pygmy Owl
In life we are always taking sides and we tend to do that with nature as well. When we see or a hear about a particular bear, we start making connection with that bear and want to see it survive when it competes with others and nature it self. If there is limited food, we hope the bear we connected with finds it and not other wildlife, even though others have done nothing wrong. In the case of the Northern Pygmy Owl in the picture, I had watched it over few weeks bringing back food for the female sitting on the next, same when the eggs were hatched. I thought I was going to get a chance to see the fledglings perched on a branch, but that never took place. I think the red squirrel that I saw many times that had failed to get into the nest, finally succeeded and killed the nestlings and maybe even the adult female. The male adult would bring back food and call out, but there was no respond, no begging from the nestlings. Then few days later the nest was infested with ants. For a while I felt sorry for the owl who worked so hard for his family and negative toward the squirrel. But in the end no was in the wrong and no one was in the right, this is how nature works. The owl was working hard for its family and the squirrel was doing the same for its. So were the many small birds the owl brought back as food. In the end nature won, a natural process got carried out.
Until next moment,
Amar
Northern Pygmy Owl
This Northern Pygmy Owl bringing back food for the nestlings, it seems like a nestling from another bird's nest. When the owl gets close to the nest it calls out, when it hears the begging coming from the nest the adult goes toward it. When there is room in the nest it takes it and when there is not, the food is dropped of into the nest.
Until next moment,
Amar
Northern Pygmy-Owl
Northern Pygmy-Owls are not much larger then a House Sparrow, but are one of the few owls that can be spotted during the day. Due to their size and colouring, you have to be well aware of your surrounding to locate one. This one was perched on a branch of a dead aspen tree, hung out there before coming down to the ground to locate food. Coming up empty taloned, it perched on a different tree before a gust of wind caused it to loose its balance, it then flew away.
Until next moment,
Amar
Northern Pygmy-Owl
I have not seen a Northern Pygmy-Owl for few years, so I was happy to come across one last month. Got to watch it for a short while, getting some time to observe it and take few pictures as well. Hopefully I will not have to wait years before seeing one again.
Until next moment,
Amar
Northern Pygmy Owl
I was walking on a trail, just before 4pm. It was bit dark in the woods when I heard a bird call. I looked in the direction, not seeing any until I heard the same call again. Then I saw a bird about the size of Robin go up to a branch on the tree about 5 meters above the ground. I kept my eyes on the location as I made my way toward the tree. With little light coming through, I was not able to ID the bird with my eyes.
I took my camera out and zoomed in, I was still not getting a clear view. Decided to take few pictures and would be able to tell what type of bird it was from my camera's LCD. It was a owl, later confirming it was a Northern Pygmy Owl.
It was perched too high for me to get a clear shot, took pictures from few spots before deciding to move on. Had a another peak on the camera's LCD before getting home, I did noticed that it had a prey in one of its talon. But only when I looked at the picture on a monitor I could make out what the prey was.
I'm glad the owl's eyes can be seen, along with the beak and of course the owl's meal. For me it was one of those moment, when I'm happy living so close to nature, and only with time this moment becomes clear. I imagine when I heard the call, the owl was coming down to grab its prey and then I saw it fly up. In the end, it was giving me the look to move along so it could eat in peace.
Until next moment,
Amar