More Backyard Wildlife

April, 2014

April 20. While standing at the window, I saw the owl swoop down to the yard. It missed whatever it was going for, and flew up to perch in this small tree in the back yard. We had seen the owl at the back fence on March 31, and both Marty and I had approached the owl earlier this afternoon, so it looked like he was getting used to us and was getting more bold.

When I saw this squirrel on the ground, I expected him to take cover, seeing the owl as a major predator that might well make lunch of him. But to my great surprise, the squirrel started climbing the small tree toward the owl!

When the squirrel reached the limb on which the owl was sitting, his back was bowed and his tail fluffed out like an alarmed cat!

All fluffed out, the squirrel makes a run for the owl!

The owl just flips his wing out, as if to say "Go 'way, boy. Don't bother me."

The squirrel retreats, but he's not done!

Back bowed, tail fluffed, the squirrel makes another attack!

This attack sequence was repeated several times. Then I guess the squirrel thought he had earned his red badge of courage, and he just climbed back down the tree and went about his business in the yard.

On April 29 I had been hearing the pileated woodpecker all morning, so I had the camera ready. When it landed on this poplar tree at our back fence, I shot this from inside the house at 400mm, 1/1000 sec.

This is the closest shot I have gotten of our friendly owl. I had walked to the back of the yard to try to get a glimpse of the pileated woodpecker shown above, and when I walked along the fence, I came face to face with the owl at a distance of about 40 ft. This shot was taken at 1/1000 sec, f9, with probably iso 6400. April 29.

Brenda planted flowers in the boat in the back yard, so this is the latest incarnation of Nemo. This boat was the base for Nemo, and he survived fall leaves and a snow, summer visits, and was a delight to the members of the Children of the World choir who stayed with us.