A Search For Warblers Reveals A Family Of Owls

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This pair of Great Horned Owls were observed in a forest clearing keeping a close eye one their fledglings.

Last Friday, I awoke to steady rain. The forecast was calling for showers and thunderstorms into the afternoon so birding that day wasn’t on my radar. I was moving pretty slow enjoying my coffee and still in my pajamas. By mid-morning, the rain had stopped and the sun was out. I quickly got dressed, grabbed my camera and binoculars, and headed out the door. I planned to check an area close to home for warblers as birding immediately following rain can be highly rewarding as the showers tend to push birds close to the ground resulting in amazing views. Some of my best days birding have been during similar conditions. 

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A flock of Blue Jays harassing this adult Great Horned Owl alerted me to its presence.

Shortly after arriving, I tallied a multitude of warblers moving through the low trees and shrubs slightly higher than eye level. Blackburnian, Magnolia, and Bay-breasted were all observed within a matter of minutes. As I made my way into a clearing in the forest, I heard a flock of Blue Jays calling aggressively. To my delight, I saw a Great Horned Owl perched in a tree being mobbed by the jays.   

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One of two young Great Horned Owls observed on this day.

Raising my camera, I captured a few images of the owl perched in a large tree. All of a sudden, something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. It was a young owl flying past eventually landing in a nearby tree.  As the young owl again took flight, the adult followed making their way to another tree. Looking with my binoculars I saw a second adult and young owl deeper in the forest. I was pretty excited to have stumbled upon this family of owls. 

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Within a few minutes of spotting the first adult bird, it became apparent this was an entire family of Great Horned Owls.

As I watched the family of owls it appeared the young ones were possibly learning to fly or hunt. I stood motionless under a tree and watched as the owlets made short flights from tree to tree while the parents watched carefully. One of the adult owls stayed close to each juvenile at all times never taking their eyes off them.   

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Adult Great Horned Owls keeping a close watch on their offspring.

Watching the eyes and heads of the adult owls move in unison as the owlets flew around was almost comical. This spectacle reminded me of the emphatic motions of synchronized swimmers performing a well-choreographed routine. 

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As I stood motionless in the forest the adult Great Horned Owls were more interested in the whereabouts of their owlets than my presence.

Not wanting to put added stress on the adults or young owls during what was seemingly a vital life lesson, I carried on after watching for only a few minutes while quickly capturing photos. Despite being a brief encounter, it is one I will always remember. Out of respect for the birds, I do not share owl locations but I will say these are not any of our over publicized owls here in the city.   

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Finding this family of Great Horned Owls is certainly a highlight of birding this spring.

As I carried on through the forest, my focus once again turned to warblers. As more and more of these colorful songbirds came into view, I kept thinking about the amazing encounter I had just had with these Great Horned Owls. This is one of the elements of birding I love the most, you never know what you are going to see. I look forward to getting out again this week for more adventures and the endless possibilities they may bring and sharing my experiences in nature with each of you.

Good birding,
Paul 

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