I understand they have not been seen for a week. It has been very windy. Hopefully, they are still around, otherwise they may have already headed north.
Avian flu is in the area, so hopefully it is not that. Have a great week!
Short-Eared Owl Hi!
Category: travel
Young Eagle With Fish
I stopped on my way home from work again at a park on the Hudson River. I arrived to see this young eagle in a tree eating a fish. Next, I hope to see it catch one. I just missed it again.
He had to look all around as other young eagles, adult eagles and vultures were circled around overhead.
There was quite a bit of overhead traffic. I think they needed an air traffic controller.
I am guessing the adult eagle was circling to make sure they did not get to close to the young eagle and the vultures were interested in that fish. I am guessing this may be a 2nd year eagle. What do you think?
Young Eagle on the River
I stopped by public land on my way home from work. This land is right on the Hudson River. I was able to see this young eagle not far from where I parked my car.
I also saw a full adult eagle fly by a few times seemingly checking up on junior. I was hoping it would fly out and catch a fish, but I was told he had just caught one and ate it prior to my arrival.
It was still nice seeing one regardless. Maybe one day I can watch them catch fish. Have a great weekend!
Short-Eared Owl Head On
I love it when the owls fly right towards you, especially in good lighting conditions. Most of the time they come up a little before before sunset, but sometimes they come up earlier.
A quote from Helen Keller:
Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.
In the case of the owls, occasionally they look people straight in the eye. On this large piece of land where people can only stand on a very small section of it, it is great to see the owls come up close to people and look them in the eye. Enjoy your week.
Wakey-Wakey Screech Owl
This screech owl was in a tree close to a little traveled road. Cars stopping in front of the tree did not wake it. Construction vehicles, and aircraft flying around did not awaken it. Other wildlife could not rouse it. It is one heavy sleeper.
I was rooting for this bird, I think a nuthatch, to wake it up. It flew from another nearby tree and proceeded to walk down the owl’s tree towards the hole. I think it thought it was not such a good idea to go further. According to All About Birds:
The Eastern Screech-Owl is known to eat a variety of songbirds, including the European Starling.
This was the closest it got to opening its eyes. This bird must have been tired out from hunting during the night. It could also be a good sleeper. Can you sleep through a variety of noises?
Otters
Although otters can be found in New York in places such as the Adirondacks and the Hudson Valley, I have not spotted one in the wild in New York. I have only seen them at zoos. Last summer I did see some in England. There were multiple on one body of water.
Otters are fun to watch but hard to photograph. The day I saw these was a typical dark, dreary day, so the lighting was not optimal. They move quite fast and do not stay put long, so I had a hard time getting their head in focus and catching them while they were facing in somewhat my direction.
Regardless, they were fun to see. Have a great rest of your week.
Female Northern Harrier
Northern Harriers are one type of hawk native to North America. It is one hawk I mainly see in winter.
Food
Northern harriers hunt small mammals and birds. They can get rabbits and ducks. During winter, when I see them, they mainly go after voles and mice. This one is carrying grass, but I am not sure if there is a vole or mouse amongst it.
Hunting behaviour
I have found these birds in grasslands where they fly quite low going often between the grasses. Harriers hunt during the daytime. They can also hover then dive while hunting. Harriers rely on hearing and sight to capture their prey. I have seen them chase after and steal a vole from a short-eared owl in late afternoon.
Nesting Behaviour
Northern harriers will roost in groups on the ground, sometimes with Short-Eared Owls, according to All About Birds. Because they roost on the ground, animals such as coyotes and feral dogs will go after adult northern harriers.
These are fascinating birds to watch. I love seeing them hover and chase after the short-eared owls. Have a great Wednesday!
Muskrats on Ice
How did muskrats get their name? Evidently they get the word musk because of the strong smelling odor they give off to mark territory and keep away intruders. I have never smelled anything when around them, but I do not get too close. The rat in their name is because their tail is said to resemble a rats. At one point they were known as musk beavers because of the flat tail.
This small pond has at least 5 muskrats. This is the first time I have seen the muskrats on ice in decent lighting conditions. When I arrived in the late afternoon I saw two.
They keep the area on the pond where this one is clear of ice. Most of the pond is iced over, except the other spots they come up from the water. From this spot they scurry up the hill and get grass and other plants from areas they have cleared of snow.
Muskrats build lodges like beavers, or they build a tunnel from under a pond to a chamber above water on the bank of the pond. Because they may tunnel on a pond bank , it could cause bank destruction or collapse.
Have a great rest of your weekend!
Ice Fishing
We have been experiencing some cold nights. Some days the highs were in the 20s. I swung by Lower Canopus Lake in Fahnestock State Park when travelling nearby and saw these two ice fishing.
They were quite a distance away. This image was taken with a zoom lens and is heavily cropped. On a side note, the Appalachian Trail runs through this park, not far from where I took this image.
Some enjoy the cold weather, others tend to hibernate indoors. Whatever you do, have a great Friday!
Muskrats
I know these creatures are in a little pond. They make sure there are holes in the ice to come up out of. I have only briefly seen them out of the holes near the pond. On the day of the photos I saw them scampering up the hill from the pond.
They appeared to be moving snow and digging in the grass underneath. It appeared they were eating a lot of it there, but some they were carrying back down to the pond.
If you celebrate it- Wishing you a prosperous new year! 祝你新年快乐. 번영하는 새해를 기원합니다 chúc bạn một năm mới an khang thịnh vượng
Have a great rest of your week!
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