Great story out of eastern Pennsylvania of an Eastern Screech Owl that came down a families chimney and sat rather calmly in their fireplace. They called a bird enthusiast friend and the story had a happy ending!
Thursday (12/27) was a day I just wanted to avoid the crowds and take a drive, get some fresh air and see if we could find any birds. It was after lunch, not the best time, and our favorite remote ranch land area was looking like a bust so I just set about shooting some stock footage of a pair of Sandhill Cranes. Not every day can be an Eagle or Caracara day, but you just never know when luck will come your way. Lately, I've been lucky.
I was fortunate to be engulfed by a passing "Flight of Swallows" as I was focusing my attention on one of the Cranes. Several Red-Shouldered Hawks became excited and then Swallows surrounded us. I didn't notice untill I looked at the footage later, but you can see the Crane take notice of some disturbance developing in the atmosphere - the Crane looks up and then around and then there is a sudden onset of a Flight of Swallows much like the approach and passage of a storm. The expression on the Crane is priceless at 1080p. I panned to cover the swallows and by then the greatest concentration was right overhead. Hawks began swooping in to take a few swallows. Later one of the Hawks roosted right in front of us as the straggler Swallows fell in behind the main Flight. All in all it took about 10 minutes for the Flight to pass. What was most interesting was the reaction of the big birds from the Crane watching with curiosity to the top predator Hawks attacking the swallows much like sharks try and pick out fish from large schools in the ocean. Also got to spend some quality time with one of the Red Shouldered Hawks toward the end. The Flight was moving in mid-afternoon, most birds were swirling, but the Flight itself seemed to be making forward progress northward on the order of several miles an hour as we caught up with them further up the road about 30 minutes later. You just never know - carry your camera!
Red-Shouldered Hawk
Routine Sandhill Crane video leading up to the "Flight of Swallows"
While we wait for Eastern Screech Owl nesting season to heat up in late winter...daytime birding overall has been picking up in Florida. Here is a video of a chance encounter with Eagles and Crested Caracaras - always exciting to see and the common crow who tries to steal the show.
Male Painted Bunting observed on December 9th, 2012
Between December 14th and January 5th you can participate in the annual bird count. Information is on the Audubon web site. Even if you don't participate, winter is a good time for bird watching. Owls are starting to call more often as we get deeper into winter in Florida. Here is a photo of a Painted Bunting I took Sunday to get the bird watching juices flowing.
This gave me a chuckle this afternoon. Getting the nest boxes ready for owl season and trimming some branches etc this afternoon I noticed this Gecko who had claimed a nest box as his new home. Trust me - this is going to end badly! Nobody told him that little lizards are Screech Owls number one food in Florida. All the more reason for the owls to move in this winter - Dinner is Waiting!!
Little Lizard thinks he's going to make a home here - not!
