Monday, April 19, 2010

Owillow




The barred owl was perched in the black willow tree overlooking the pond last week as Bear and I finished our walk. When I noticed the owl, I quickly steered Bear up a woodsy path in the direction of the house.




I had not carried my camera along for our walk/run, but I HAD left it on the porch. As soon as he was in the house, I slipped back to the pond with the camera and got a few photos.




The owl was patient for a while, but then he lifted off and swung back into the oaks between the pond and PFHQ. I followed him (on foot) and found him enjoying a preen as the trees around him shook and swayed in brisk winds.



I already had still shots, so I decided to shoot a little video, even though I knew it would most likely consist of staring, blinking, and looking.
Expecting little, I swung the camera up, braced against the nearest amiable tree, and began filming.
For a few seconds, it was just as I suspected ... staring, preening, blinking ... but with a neat breeze that whooshed the fresh green spring foliage and fluffed the owl's feathers.
Then out of nowhere ... ACTION!
And again ... ACTION in an owl video!
It's a cool little video, but Blogger video upload has not been cooperating at all for me lately.
SNORT!!




UPDATE:
FC does an end run around Blooger's foibles and loads the ACTION VIDEO INVOLVING AN OWL at Yo'Tubular!

19 comments:

threecollie said...

Purely extraordinary!
And we use YouTube and MySpace for video too...Blogger almost never seems to like to upload video.

R.Powers said...

3Collie,
I think I'm going that route from now on.
Glad you liked the owl!

Dani said...

WOW! That is a fantastic video FC!!

cinbad122 said...

COOL!

Karin Katherine said...

That is just amazing, thanks for posting this! I cannot wait to show my kids.

lisa said...

That was too cool, we were in our woods one year and saw a pair up in the trees and that was pretty awesome! Of course that was before I was blogging!

robin andrea said...

Great video, fc. I had no idea the blue jay would get so close to the owl. Although it reminds me of when crows harass eagles. Isn't it great when you're in the right place at the right time. Wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Two other advantages of using YouTube: you can watch using Full Screen Mode, and you can increase the resolution.

-lesle

Ericka said...

very cool. thanks for sharing!

LauraHinNJ said...

Jeez... those Jays just come out of nowhere!!

I can't help but feel a little bad for the fluffy predator...

;-)

I think you're so lucky to have such tame Barred Owls... I've heard lots, but never have really seen one so nicely.

Unknown said...

Yay you got it uploaded! Love you!

jojo said...

what is up with those birds? i see them hawking the hawks too. Don't they realize they could be supper?

GREAT! video!!

Miz S said...

At the first jay screech I jumped in unison with the owl. Good stuff.

Sayre said...

Your owl moved his beak and I thought how odd it was that he sounded like a blue jay... Then BOOM - upside the head by a blue jay!

Blue jays are beautiful, but not very nice. I liked the owl better!

Bill said...

FC,

Blue jays, mocking birds, I just wish they were better to eat. Pesky critters those. It is funny because we have cardinals galore and you can here them coming at dinner time through the neighborhood, until they reach the feeder. Their screeching is not as strident I guess. Now the owl, that is just way cool.

Thanks for sharing,

Billy

who wouda thunk it?? said...

that Jay surprised the crap out of him! unusual for a big-eyed guy

MamaHen said...

Cool!!!

kathy a. said...

great action! the bird screeching confused me, right up until the owl got rushed by the bird who thought he was invading territory. owls really do have an "unruffled" attitude, eh? the swivelly neck action is also really wonderful; wish mine was so flexible.

R.Powers said...

Glad you all enjoyed it! I was so tickled to actually get more than wide-eyed sleepy blinks.