Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Owlapalooza Two: Pond Owl



 
The view from the front porch.
The tall rock way out there on the pond rockpile is a barred owl.
I believe he was daring the pond frogs to make an appearance.



Here's a closer view.

I was sitting in the living room with Bear when the owl swooped by the front window and landed at the top of the pond waterfall.

The big guy was not happy when I went outside without him to photograph the owlian invader.
Of course,  if you've watched the video already, ...

... you already knew that.


14 comments:

Kaybe said...

Well you know "owling" is the new planking which was the new phooning. He's a beauty.

Take good care,

Karen

Anonymous said...

Brown Owl remarkable head stability:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6M-h5g3PwI

Owls can exhibit a remarkable head stability during angular movement of the body about any axis passing through the skull.
K.E. Money 1962. See THE VESTIBULAR SYSTEM OF THE OWL
Author(s): Money, K.E.; Correia, M.J.
Abstract: Owls have a curious variability in the postrotatory head nystagmus following abrupt angular deceleration. Owls can exhibit a remarkable head stability during angular movement of the body about any axis passing through the skull. The vestibular apparatus in the owl is bigger than in man, and a prominent crista neglecta is present. The tectorial membrane, the cupula, and the otolithic membranes of the utricle, saccule and lagena are all "attached" to surfaces in addition to the surfaces bearing hair cells; these attachments are very substantial in the utricular otolithic membrane and in the cupula.

=lesle

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Great capture. I wonder if it ever got a snack??

Dani said...

Awesome! Reminds me of the time you snapped those pics of the owl bathing and drinking from the big, big pond. Must of been the year we had Francis roll though cause the pond had a good amount of water in it.

threecollie said...

Amazing! Poor Bear!

Thunder said...

I think he was looking for both frog and goldfish snacks!

Dina said...

Great video. Could he wipe out all of your frogs? That would be one fat owl.

Anonymous said...

I think he must have read your previous blog post and knew exactly where to look for the snacks. He sure is a beauty.

Caroline said...

My brother has Great Blue herons visit his pond for goldfish, but nothing as cool as a barred owl!

R.Powers said...

Kaybe,
These crazy kids! What next?


Lesle,
Gosh.
You said a mouth full.
:)


Lisa,
The frogs are there, but I did not do a head count.



Dani,
Good memory! I hope Emily dumps some water in the pond.


3Collie,
He is teased constantly by the critters ... and that girl dog from across the woods.



Dave,
Still 5 goldfish, but I count em every day.


Dina,
He sits on the park bench next to the pond too, so he must be having some success there.

Robin,
Owls are very wise like that you know.


Caroline,
I keep expecting to see a wader out there some day, but so far, no takers.

Miz S said...

Poor Bear. He wants your undivided attention, and there are SO MANY distractions at PFHQ!

Dani said...

Yeah, I can remember all kinds of things but send me out shopping without a list and I'm screwed.

R.Powers said...

Miz S,
You can now add a girly dog who comes to the porch and looks in for him to that list of distractions.
(I guess that would be HIS distraction, of course)


Dani,
I hear ya and there is always that one item you needed and forgot to put on the list.

Donna Mc said...

Oh wow...or should that be w-owl!
Nice pictures/video. Good ol' Bear. He just wanted to play with Mr. Owl. =)

But Boy did that make me homesick, though. The sounds, the landscape, plants, trees with moss...all a huge part of my FL roots. Thanks for the pleasant trip down memory lane. I won't able to visit back in FL (Pasco Co.) until Thanksgiving....but sure enjoyed the snippet you shared.