Posted by bill meikle on March 25, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Heard the mating call of a young owl this morning on my roof and grabbed a few frames, the most interesting was when the local magpie turned up and started mobbing it. Cool stuff. And there was good light for a change!
Cool interraction - those poor GHO's are always getting mobbed by crows or magpies. Do you suppose that the juveniles practice their mating call in spring to get ready for the real thing in the fall, when they're ready? The adults choose their mate in Nov/Dec and are on the nest by now.
Posted by Mel Ladewig on March 25, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Beautiful bird. You gotta wonder if the magpie knows what that Owl could do to him.
One of the ways we know that the bobcats are out in our backyard is that the magpies often start going nuts and chase them around.
Posted by Nick Moore on March 25, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Hey Bill, boy you can't complain when you get wildlife like this in your back yard!. I like how you caught the magpie in the bg too!.
Well that's a nice little gift wasn't it. Nice shot and I like the magpie in the bg.
Posted by Bill Brennan on March 25, 2009 at 8:38 PM
Great work, Bill. Wonder if Owl can throw a right hook.
Bill Brennan
Posted by bill meikle on March 25, 2009 at 11:38 PM
Dave, I don't know, this guy was posing with his body horizontal and calling and calling so it sure looked to me like a young bird without a mate trying to attract some attention. The adult birds are all on their nests now as you say and have been for some time. They do nest really early in the year. He did come back at dusk and was hunting in my yard, which was great I have to say. I did read my "Lives of North American Birds" by Kaufman but it didn't help. I'll check with my local experts and see what they say.
Discussion
8 repliesOne of the ways we know that the bobcats are out in our backyard is that the magpies often start going nuts and chase them around.
Bill Brennan