Short documentary on a pair of Eastern Screech Owls hunting prey on silent wings to feed their three rapidly growing owlets in a nest box in Florida. The entrance to the nest box is like a busy air terminal
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Painted Buntings Spring Migration North From Florida
Painted Buntings - the most colorful songbirds in North America are passing through the Backyard on their way north to breeding grounds around the Sea Islands of coastal Georgia and South Carolina. We had four that were permanent winter visitors but this time of year travelling migrant buntings continue to pass through on their way northward. Usually by early to mid April they are all gone. Continuing a trend of recent years there have been fewer of the spectacular mature males as in this video.
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Sunday, March 22, 2015
Eastern Screech Owls Quarrel Over Big Lizard
The Screech Owls have a minor fight over a large lizard! If we could only understand owl calls. On a short break outside the nest box Ms. Owl naturally assumes that Mr. Owl is landing next to her to hand of what looks like a rather tasty and heavy bodied lizard lacking a tail (it's too long and short legged to be a large frog or toad) - But Mr. Owl pulls back and intends to keep it for himself leading Ms. Owl to give him a sharp bite on the head and the cold shoulder. All is quickly forgotten, however, as there is much food for all. It is clear though that this year's male Screech Owl is a very discriminating hunter and eater, focusing on large exotic nocturnal reptiles and amphibians.
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Florida Cattle Roundup
Florida Cattle Drive. Rare when you can see hundreds of cattle on the move in rural Florida. I love the diversity of cows in this colorful herd. The cowboys in this case were using pickup trucks up ahead. The cows were dutifully following each other in an orderly fashion. I initially pulled to the side of the road to watch at a distance with zoom and only got half the herd then move up closer to get the rest of the herd and accidentally messed up the orderly procession as the cows which have a somewhat creepy habit of staring en-mass and accustomed to responding to people in vehicles broke off from the herd and started to approach my area causing a big gap in the line. I'm pretty sure everything worked out OK after we moved on!
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Cute Baby Screech Owls Up Close
Extreme close-ups of the cute wild Eastern Screech Owlets in the nest box. Only one has opened its eyes and is getting much bigger than the other two. Fledging is expected around April 10th. Plenty of food for all. Have a few more bugs to get out of this camera/microphone setup - stay tuned.
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Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Great Egret Visits Backyard
Great Egret up close. An impressive large bird, Great Egrets are fairly common in Florida wetlands, but this is the first-ever backyard visit by one who inexplicably decided to take a break on top of a small long-leaf pine tree. A tip when filming birds in heavy cover like this - switch to manual focus with servo motor assist off - total manual control or you might miss it. By its expression the Egret doesn't quite know what to make of the the creature below pointing a camera at it.
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Frozen Brown Anole Lizard in Florida
Cold Lizard. Found this little Brown Anole Lizard (pronounced“uh – knol -ee”) hard asleep in one of my shoes that I left out on a recent night when it got cold enough to have a little ice in the birdbath. A tip – never put your shoes on without checking inside first when outdoors, especially in Florida – a lot worse things can seek shelter in your shoes! Invasive Brown Anoles are less cold tolerant than the native Green Anole Lizards, but it hasn't been cold enough to really slow down the Brown Anoles since the winter of 2011. This little cold snap didn't hurt them. When they are in a helpless state of torpor like this they depend on the kindness of strangers. I'll put her – I think – out in the sun to warm up. These lizards make up a good portion of the nesting Screech Owls diet.
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Sunday, March 15, 2015
Eastern Screech Owl Catches Rare Tokay Gecko
Male Eastern Screech Owl calls excitedly after catching a rare large wild invasive Tokay Gecko. Tokay Gecko's are very aggressive compared to smaller Geckos and native to Southeast Asia. They are popular pets so this one was no doubt someones pet in the past. With two winters in a row without a freeze the tropical Tokay's could survive and grow quite large, much larger than any native lizard, but it is doubtful they can propagate. Tokay Geckos are nocturnal and eat other arboreal lizards and frogs, and can potentially prey on small nestling birds and rodents . It has even been observed eating a juvenile corn snake. Interesting that the nesting Screech Owls are getting some of their better protein from large imported species like Cuban Tree Frogs and Geckos, they have discriminating palates and doing their part to limit the spread of invasive species naturally - beats a native giant cockroach any day! More info on Tokay Geckos at: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/reptiles/tokay-gecko/
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Hungry Flock of Robins Invades Florida
Severe winter up north - American Robins going the wrong way in Late February. Not sure what it portends, but a rare Backyard visit by a flock of 100's of ravenous Robins is a wild scene and causes consternation by interrupting the daily routine of the resident Blue Jays and Squirrels. The Robins form large flocks in winter and are on the lookout for food and will attempt to eat anything that looks remotely edible including Brazilian Peppers, Palmetto Berries, Chinese Tallow seeds and of course kicking around for bugs in leaf litter. They depart as suddenly and loudly as they arrive! Always a treat as Robins are a very rare sight around here.
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Thursday, March 12, 2015
Screech Owl Horse Whinny Call
Owl that sounds like a horse! Eastern Screech Owl sitting on three eggs in the nest box is fed by male and she gives the best example of the classic "Horse Whinny" call I've ever heard. Loud and clear for minutes on end. If you listen closely at the 00:16 second mark you will hear the male outside make the classic trilling call which means - get ready he's bringing food and the outside camera PIP shows the corresponding video. The female goes up to get the food which is pretty big because it takes here awhile to swallow it whole. She must be pretty happy because I've never heard one carry on quite like this. The male comes again with food at the 1:46 mark and you can hear his trilling call outside just before he hands off the food!
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Cute Squirrel Yawns Stretches and Grooms
Young Gray Squirrel starts his busy day by taking a sun bath then yawns, stretches, brushes his teeth and leisurely completes his morning grooming - Looking Good! Then off to have some peanuts.
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Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Audubon Woodlink Squirrel Baffle Long Term Test and Review
Keep squirrels out of your Bird Feeders humanely! A fun Mini-Documentary Review of three years of experience with the Woodlink NABAF18” Audubon Wrap Around 18-Inch Squirrel Baffle and Gardman USA 0280019 Premium Wild Bird Feeding Kit.
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Sunday, March 1, 2015
Eastern Screech Owl Mating Update
Eastern Screech Owls continue their courtship activity in and around the nest box. A lot of comings and goings, but no eggs yet. Nightly activity is increasing and Mr. Owl seems like a reliable provider so all systems appear "Go"!
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Short Tailed Shrew In Hyperactive Mode
Northern Short-tailed Shrews have poisonous saliva glands and red front teeth. Their day is organized around highly active periods lasting about 4-5 minutes, followed by rest periods that last, on average, 24 minutes. I found the main tunnel system entrance under a large log on the edge of a ravine next to a small stream. These film clips were collected over about a five minute period of extreme activity that shrews are noted for. They prefer live prey and are notoriously ravenous, but they will stock up bird seed placed near their tunnel entrance. They are one of the few poisonous mammals. Their toxin enables them to kill mice and larger prey and paralyze invertebrates such as snails and store them alive for later eating. The shrews have very limited vision, and rely on a kind of echolocation, a series of ultrasonic "clicks," to make their way around the tunnels and burrows they dig. They nest underground, lining their nests with vegetation and sometimes with fur. They do not hibernate. There are at least 8 species of shrew in the Great Smoky Mountains and it can be hard to ID them, but the size of this one and its unusually short tail make the ID easier.
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Squirrel Eating Oak Tree Buds
Gray Squirrel feasting on Oak Tree buds - Relax and watch as a squirrel enjoys a tasty seasonal treat when the tender buds of the oak tree come out in mid-winter, usually late January or February in Florida.
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