Saturday, February 28, 2009

Back-yard bird picture, suggesting why the back-yard rabbit count's diminished.


The oaks behind the house, to the north, might have a nested pair of horned owls.

At least for now, both are in the picture, perched and asleep in one tree.

Getting a decently good photo from the house is tricky at about a hundred feet or so away through a kitchen window, with intervening branches in the way depending on where the camera is set up.

At -10 degrees, let hard-core bird watchers set up the tripod and all, outside. I'll be satisfied with the confirming photo, through the window, from inside with a cup of coffee on the counter.

One bird's on the branch, the other at the branch base, by the trunk.

If they'd have a nest already with eggs or a hatchling, one would likely be there tending the nest. Hence, they likely are yet to nest.

They are in hunting mode as a guess. With bird feeders and corn out on the ground for some, the rabbits got fat browsing into the late evening. Fewer seem to be there over the last week or two.

It is possible there's an owl nest in that patch of woods. I'd guess it is more likely they'd be nested in trees along the wetland ditch about a quarter to half mile to the north.

The backyard woods patch is only about an acre in size, with greater acreage of woods elsewhere in the neighborhood. Three homes are sharing the woods as back-yard back edge, each about 1-1/2 acre lots.