Some sad news from the Bear Creek Greenbelt.  Today the winds were fierce, over 30 mph, and two owlets fell out of the Great Horned Owl nest.  I was with a friend who found them on the forest floor.  I called another friend, who helped make arrangements to get care for the surviving owlet.  Within an hour, a CPW volunteer picked up the owlet and took it to Birds of Prey, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of injured and orphaned raptors.

Waiting with the owlet for the CPW volunteer to show up

Handing over the owlet to the CPW volunteer

Mama Owl remained hunkered down on her nest.  Perhaps there’s a third owlet.

Great Horned Owl on a very windy day

Later in the evening Birds of Prey sent this message and photo:

He has some head trauma, has had dinner and meds, tucked in heated incubator for the night.

Great Horned Owlet

A Townsend’s Solitaire showed up at sunrise for a drink at my birdbath.  A short while later, as I do every morning, I cleaned and refilled the birdbath.  Within seconds of my screen door closing, the Townsend’s Solitaire was back for more water.  An American Robin showed up, and the Townsend’s Solitaire flew off.   I kept watching, and eventually it came back:

Townsend’s Solitaire

Again, an American Robin displaced it.

American Robin

Both of these birds are in the thrush family, with the memorable family name Turdidae.  Townsend’s Solitaire have the Latin name Myadestes townsendi.  Myadestes is from the Greek and means “fly eater.”  American Robins have the Latin name Turdus migratorius, Turdus being Latin for thrush.

Slimmer and about half the weight of a robin, Townsend’s Solitaires can be pushed around by their relative, the robin.

In the afternoon, on this warm, very windy day, I walked in the Bear Creek Greenbelt.  First I found Papa Owl:

Great Horned Owl

Then I went to see what was happening at the nest:

Great Horned Owl and owlet

Great Horned Owl and owlet

At lunch I dashed into the Bear Creek Greenbelt to see if I could find Papa Owl.  He was snoozing in the shade.

Great Horned Owl

Wildlife at my birdbath and deck this morning:

American Goldfinch (only perching, not drinking)

Black-capped Chickadee

Black-billed Magpie

Black-billed Magpie

Black-billed Magpie

Eurasian Collared-Dove

American Robin

House Finch

European Starling

In the afternoon I walked at South Valley Park with a friend.

Red-tailed Hawk on nest

Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay

Early this morning a Townsend’s Solitaire showed up on my bird bath:

Townsend’s Solitaire

Later this morning, two Townsend’s Solitaires showed up at my bird bath:

Townsend’s Solitaires

Transitioning to other wildlife coming to the birdbath:

Townsend’s Solitaire with Three House Finches

Black-capped Chickadee and American Robin

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

Northern Flicker

Fox Squirrel

Fox Squirrel

Fox Squirrel

On this chilly (mid 30s), sunny, and windy morning, I spent an hour with a friend watching a pair of Red-tailed Hawks not far from the intersection of Kipling Parkway and Bowles.  At first, there was just one, very obliging, Red-tailed Hawk, whom we watched for twenty or so minutes.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Then a second Red-tailed Hawk showed up in the sky, and the first one flew up to join it.  They ended up perched together, a foot apart, on a different fence.  Then one approached the other:

Red-tailed Hawks

Afterwards, they both flew directly at me!

Red-tailed Hawks

They both landed ten feet above my head.  I had to back away from the tree to get a shot.

Red-tailed Hawk

Then they both took flight again.  They soared together, one of them putting on a dangling legs display.  One of them–the male, we think–began a set of aerial maneuvers.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk pulling its wings back

Red-tailed Hawk diving

Red-tailed Hawk soaring

A Townsend’s Solitaire at my bird bath:

Townsend’s Solitaire

After work I met a friend at Bear Creek Lake Park.  Mama Owl was (mostly) inside her cavity nest:

Great Horned Owl

We saw two more nesting Great Horned Owls, and, as the sun was setting, we saw two–maybe three–Papa Owls.  We also heard a pack of coyotes, and later saw three at the dam.

The reservoir had a couple of dozen or more Common Mergansers, lots of Ring-billed Gulls, a good handful or more of Green-winged Teal, a few Mallards, a pair of Hooded Mergansers, and a few Killdeer.  And this bird, its back against the wind:

Great Blue Heron

A Townsend’s Solitaire at my bird bath:

Townsend’s Solitaire

And flying off . .. 

Townsend’s Solitaire

During my lunch break, I dashed into the Bear Creek Greenbelt.  I couldn’t find Papa Owl, so I consoled myself with views of an American Dipper and the Yellow-throated Warbler.

American Dipper

Yellow-throated Warbler

At lunch I took a quick walk in the Bear Creek Greenbelt.  Is Papa Owl snoozing, on duty, or both?  You decide.

Great Horned Owl