Two of the Great Horned Owlets in the Bear Creek Greenbelt:

Great Horned Owlets

Mama Great Horned Owl is off the nest more often these days.  But she is watchful.

Feeding time:

Great Horned Owl feeding owlet

A pair of Cinnamon Teal in Bear Creek:

Cinnamon Teal

The day started very windy, but the Great Horned Owl nest in the Bear Creek Greenbelt was still intact, with all three owlets.  Here’s one:

Great Horned Owlet

Mama Great Horned Owl was off the nest, preening.

Female Great Horned Owl preening in the wind

Great Horned Owl preening

Great Horned Owl scratching an itch

Eventually she flew back to the nest with dinner.

Great Horned Owl with vole

Great Horned Owl with vole

Papa Great Horned Owl was nearby, unflappable:

Great Horned Owl (male)

Owls are not the only predators in the Bear Creek Greenbelt:

Cooper’s Hawk

Today there’s a high wind warning and a red flag warning, the latter indicating critical fire weather conditions.  Though it’s sunny, temps are in the mid 40s and the winds are blowing 40-50 mph, with gusts much higher.

Here’s how Papa Great Horned Owl is coping in the Bear Creek Greenbelt this afternoon:

Great Horned Owl (male)

Meanwhile, across the creek Mama Great Horned Owl was hunkered down in the nest with the owlets:

Great Horned Owl nest

Another view:

Owlet snuggled up against Mama Great Horned Owl

Even the waterfowl felt the wind!

Wood Duck, channeling the windblown guy in the old Maxell commercial

This afternoon at the Great Horned Owl nest in the Bear Creek Greenbelt:

Great Horned Owl and owlet

Owlet stretching its wing

The less cramped side of the nest

Tight quarters on the other side of the nest

Mama Great Horned Owl eventually left the nest and flew to the south side of Bear Creek, where almost immediately she was assailed by eight American Crows.

Female Great Horned Owl

Papa Great Horned Owl flew in and drew away the crows.  Mama was able to preen:

Female Great Horned Owl preening

Mama Great Horned Owl stretching her legs.

Great Horned Owl stretching left leg

Great Horned Owl stretching right leg

Meanwhile, at the pond that never freezes (may have to rename this to the scuzzy pond):

Cinnamon Teal (male) in algae

Cinnamon Teal stretching

Cinnamon Teal preening

Cinnamon Teal (female)

One of the newest denizens in the Bear Creek Greenbelt:

Great Horned Owlet (adult female behind)

In the heat of the afternoon:

Great Horned Owl panting to cool down

Welcoming migrating waterfowl to the Bear Creek Greenbelt:

Male Blue-winged Teal with Cinnamon Teal pair to the right

Cinnamon Teal (male)

Blue-winged Teal (female)

This afternoon in the Bear Creek Greenbelt Mama Great Horned Owl was off the nest, preening and stretching.

Great Horned Owl preening

Great Horned Owl stretching

After about an hour of self-care, she flew back to the nest:

Great Horned Owl (female)