Hooters and chicks - 2019 edition

[IronWing]

I thought I had found a second suburb owl nest but it turned out to be two adults shading up. The nest has to be close.

Down at the town nest all three chicks have fledged and are shading up with mom and dad. If it goes like last year, the whole family will move on within a week or so.

 

[IronWing]

Over at the red tail nest, the chicks are at that awkward stage when their feathers are coming in. Mom sat on a nearby pole, screaming at me.

 

[IronWing]

Some pics from yesterday's trip to the owl nest.

The two older fledglings were chillin' together.

The youngest fledgling was in the same tree as the other two.

Mom and dad got their own tree but dad flew off before I could get a pic. Mom is kind of pissed off. Probably because I scared off her man.

 

[IronWing]

Dad and the two younger fledglings are hanging out near the nest. Mom and the oldest fledgling have moved out. I don't know where the parents move the kids, probably out into the open desert where they can learn to hunt without flying into cars. I expect the whole family will be gone by the end of the week.

The middle child

Youngest fledgling

Close up of the youngest child

 

[IronWing]

Over at the red tail nest, the chicks are growing quickly and will likely fledge this week.

Mom hates my guts but she's a red tail so she hates everything and everybody in particular.

 

[IronWing]

The red tail chicks are doing well. Mom wasn't around this morning so I was able to get closer to the nest.

Mom and all three chicks were back at the nest area this morning so where ever mom and the eldest chick went yesterday must not have worked out. Dad was gone this morning.

 

[IronWing]

One of the fledglings was showing off its new claws this morning.

Mama

 

[IronWing]

The owl chicks in the suburb nest are out of the nest now and out on the branches where I can see them. I'll have to go back a bit earlier in the day when the light is better. There are three chicks in the suburb nest this year.

Dad took off to hunt after getting his pic taken.

This is the first pic of mom I've gotten this year. She was way up the tree so the pic isn't all that great.

The third chick was sound asleep.

 

[IronWing]

Mom is spending less time at the red tail nest. It might be time for the kids to get a job.

Based on coloration, I'm thinking that this one is a boy.

 

[IronWing]

It was windy at the suburb nest this evening so folks were hunkered down.

Dad was farther up the tree with the third chick while mom hung out with these two. Mom is a massive bird, bigger than any of the other adults.

 

[IronWing]

The red tails are looking great, past the awkward stage when their feathers are just coming in. Two chicks at the town owl nest this morning, mom and dad not seen. We had a wind storm last night so the adults may be hunkered down somewhere.

 

[IronWing]

The town owls have moved on from the nest area. Three owl chicks successfully fledged!

One red tail chick fledged with the other likely to fledge today. The chick who fledged came back to sit with the remaining chick. It flew off before I could get a picture of them together. It landed a few poles down the line and watched to make sure I wasn't messing with it's sib.

Remaining red tail chick. It was windy this morning so I think the chick was hesitant to make that big leap.

 

[PlanetJosh]

I saw the thread title and thought here's another Hooters thread with no pics in the OP and it will be up to the other posters to provide photos. What a nice surprise, thanks for the pics.

 

[IronWing]

The red tail chick hasn't fledged quite yet. It's fledged sibling, sitting on a nearby power pole, has taken over the screaming at Ironwing duties from mom.

 

[zinfamous]

I saw the thread title and thought here's another Hooters thread with no pics in the OP and it will be up to the other posters to provide photos. What a nice surprise, thanks for the pics.

speaking of, anyone seen shorty lately?

 

[zinfamous]

the screaming at Ironwing duties

punk probably wants us to pay him a salary for that!

 

[IronWing]

speaking of, anyone seen shorty lately?

He popped in for a couple f' everybody posts on Saturday.

 

[ctbaars]

I think he has bigger problems to attend to. Like employment. Thoughts and prayers are appropriate.

 

[IronWing]

The second red tail fledged today.

 

[IronWing]

The suburb chicks are walking and hopping from branch to branch in the nest tree while the parents stand guard. Mom was on the same branch as the chicks but obscured behind other branches. Dad was on another branch nearby.

Dad has a dim view of the paparazzi.

 

[IronWing]

Still no chick pics today but I did get a pic of the barn owl this evening. The light was awful as the owl was hiding in a tree at dusk so the ISO was stupid high (6400).

The barn owl found himself a mate. They were snugglebugging in his tree last night. I'll keep an eye out for a nest.

The suburb owl family moved to another tree, farther away from the road.

 

[IronWing]

MOM, STOP IT!

Mom decided that one of the chicks could stand a little cleaning up.

They just don't appreciate how much work it is being a mom.

 

[IronWing]

It was windy at the owl nest today. Two chicks and mom were in view.

It's a bit early to say but my guess is that this one is a girl.

This one is definitely a boy.

Meanwhile up in the canyon, the female elegant trogon is ready to make little trogons. She seems to have chosen her man and was following him around as he called.

He's quite the looker.

However, a second male crashed the party so there was some very noisy, brightly colored aeronautical drama overhead this morning. I don't think the interloper prevailed.

I haven't spotted the trogon nest hole yet. The males are responsible for finding/defending a nest hole and presenting it to the female for her approval. The males also have to win her heart by bringing her caterpillars and other tasty treats thereby proving that they are capable of keeping her fed while she sits on the eggs. The males also have to defend their territory from other male trogons.*


* Once the chicks hatch, an unmated male trogon will sometimes adopt a nest and help feed the chicks even though the chicks aren't his.

 

[IronWing]

Condor cam is back up for the nesting season!

http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/49/California_Condor/

 

[IronWing]

Zoom! Enhance!

Mountain pygmy owl, Madera Canyon, Arizona. It eventually came out of the hole but was too fast for me to get a pic.

Also, the elegant trogons were getting it on this morning.