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Wild Burrowing Owl
Cape Coral, Florida
While in Florida I spend a lot of time in Cape Coral shooting the Burrowing Owls. Visited more than 50 different burrows, and often I put down the camera to just watch them and focus on their interesting behaviours. Cape Coral has the state's largest burrowing owl population but they can be found in many areas of Florida. As of February 2010, it was estimated that there are at least 1,100 of these Owls on the Island. Exact numbers are difficult because couples may have more than one burrow.
Two of the burrows I visited were actually on someone's front lawn. There were three Owls at that site and they were very active when I visited. At one point one of them let out an awful scream and I looked up to see a cat slinking across the yard. Two of the Owls flew off, landing on the homeowners roof and were standing on their extended legs bobbing their heads while one female stayed at the entrance to her burrow and crouched down so she wouldn't be seen. The cat left in a hurry.
To counter the owls' disappearing habitat, the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife (CCFW) recruit volunteers to build starter burrows and maintain the burrows now in use. If grass grows too high around the burrows, is can obscure the owls' view of predators. So far the group has about 90 volunteers monitoring 400 burrows.
I had the pleasure of meeting Nelson who keeps a very close eye on his two burrows in Saratoga Park and was able to provide me with a lot of information on the Owls and his observations. He has watched three pairs breed and raise their young over the years. Thanks Nelson....looking forward to my trip next year, I'll be giving you a shout :)
The nesting season begins in late March or April in North America. Burrowing owls are usually monogamous, but occasionally a male will have two mates. During the nesting season, burrowing owls will collect a wide variety of materials to line their nest, some of which are left around the entrance to the burrow. The most common material is mammal dung, usually from cattle. At one time it was incorrectly thought that the dung helped to mask the scent of the juvenile owls, but researchers now believe the dung helps to control the microclimate inside the burrow and to attract insects, which the owls may eat.
The female will lay an egg every 1 or 2 days until she has completed a clutch, which can consist of 4-12 eggs (usually 9). She will then incubate the eggs for three to four weeks while the male brings her food. After the eggs hatch, both parents will feed the chicks. Four weeks after hatching, the chicks are able to make short flights and begin leaving the nest burrow. The parents will still help feed the chicks for 1 to 3 months. While most of the eggs will hatch, only four to five chicks usually survive to leave the nest.
Owls are very site specific, which means they are likely to return to the same territory year after year to raise their young, If the burrow is damaged either by humans or natural causes, becomes too over grown, or if the owls are continuously harassed at their current location, they will often move to a nearby area to start a new nest.
Where the presence of burrowing owls conflicts with development interests, a passive relocation technique has been applied successfully: rather than capturing the birds and transporting them to a new site (which may be stressful and prone to failure), the owls are half-coerced, half-enticed to move on their own accord. The preparations need to start several months prior to the anticipated disturbance with observing the owl colony and noting especially their local movements and site preferences. After choosing a location nearby that has suitable ground and provides good Burrowing Owl breeding habitat, this new site is enhanced by adding burrows, perches, etc. Once the owls have accustomed to the changes and are found to be interested in the location - if any possible, this should be at the onset of spring, before the breeding season starts - they are hindered to enter the old burrows. A simple one-way trapdoor design has been described that is placed over the burrow for this purpose. If everything has been correctly prepared, the owl colony will move over to the new site in the course of a few nights at most. It will need to be monitored occasionally for the following months or until the major human construction nearby has ended.
This species is able to live for at least 9 years in the wild and over 10 years in captivity. They are often killed by vehicles when crossing roads, and have many natural enemies, including badgers, coyotes, and snakes. They are also killed by both feral and domesticated cats and dogs.
Burrowing Owls range from the southern portions of the western Canadian provinces through southern Mexico and western Central America. They are also found in Florida and many Caribbean islands. In South America, they are patchy in the northwest and through the Andes, but widely distributed from southern Brazil to Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. Burrowing owls are year-round residents in most of their range. Birds that breed in Canada and northern USA usually migrate south to Mexico and southern USA during winter months.
The burrowing owl is endangered in Canada, threatened in Mexico, and a species of special concern in Florida and most of the western USA. It is a state endangered species in Colorado. The major reasons for declining populations in North America are control programs for prairie dogs and loss of habitat, although burrowing owls readily inhabit some anthropogenic landscapes, such as airport grasslands or golf courses. Genetic analysis of the two North American subspecies indicates that inbreeding is not a problem within those populations.
My trip to Florida next year will be planned so I'm there when babies start leaving the burrows. Can't wait to see that!!
One of the Bengal tigers at Busch Gardens in Tampa. The clouded look on the edges is from the fence I was shooting through....
A couple of days before 3 white supremacists had shot 5 people during the night. Luckily, there were no fatalities. These redneck scumbag cowards were found and arrested. So, there was increased security awareness. Minnesota is the most racist state I have ever lived in. And I lived in the South for awhile. It's the worse kind of racism . . .under the table, pervasive and subtle. Income inequity between blacks and others is one of the worst in the nation I have found that Minnesota talks a good game, but if you are "different" . . . there are an array of subtle prejudices that are used. It is also amazing that just because one is "white", it is ASSUMED you harbor the same dysfunctional and redneck views as other "whites". It is a pervasive attitude that infect many of our state and federal judges here as well. Emotional dishonesty is pandemic. So one has to choose and make genuine friends carefully up here. Rose colored glasses are standard attire if you want to be accepted from "real" Minnesotans.
DirecTV spiced up the first national test of the Emergency Alert System by playing Lady GaGa's song "Paparazzi."
Trinity House Vessels Patricia and Alert at Trinity House Pier, Harwich.
Vessel's Details: Patricia
Ship Type: Tender
Year Built: 1982
Length x Breadth: 86 m X 13 m
Gross Tonnage: 2639, DeadWeight: 990 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 12 / 9.3 knots
Flag: United Kingdom [UK]
Call Sign: GBTH
IMO: 8003632, MMSI: 232647000
Vessel's Details: Alert
Ship Type: Utility vessel
Year Built: 2006
Length x Breadth: 39 m X 8 m
Gross Tonnage: 302, DeadWeight: 60 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 16.5 / 12.5 knots
Flag: United Kingdom [UK]
Call Sign: MLPH9
IMO: 9338618, MMSI: 235010690
During my little visit with this coyote last week, he repeatedly approached to within about 3 meters, back becoming strongly arched, hair standing on end , then jumped back each time, before actually making contact.
Near the Alaska / Yukon border.
Introducing our new addition. Shadywoods Hap Hazard Son of a Gun AKA "Remington", future gun dog extraordinaire. Here he is at 8 wks.
Copyright Felisa Michael, ALL rights reserved.
Shot @ Athlone, Ireland, Dec 2015
"Athlone remain on high alert today following heavy rainfall.
Efforts are continuing to stop flood waters entering houses in the Strand area, canal walk and the park and water pumps are in operation on a round the clock basis."
All Rights Reserved.2015 © Akash Bhattacharya Photography
Planet Alert
Colectiva Issue 12
$20 in Costa Rica
$35 outside (shipping included)
we accept Paypal or any money transfer !
+ + Info : juancho@revistacolectiva.com
This amazing Edition of the Planet Alert is featured in a special presentation totally handcrafted. It includes 44 illustrations from artists of 16 countries and printed in
7x7 inch cardboard, 24 minicards by super dd and mc bess, 2 posters, low poly
jaguar by sorry zorrito, ecobag by srch lab, magic seed, stickers and more ......!
Foto : Alfredo Enciso
Mr. Riley man on high alert in the front yard in January. He is quite the protector of the yard and driveway. He lets Willow be the guard inside most of the time though he has become more and more vocal when seeing things through the window. But, when he is outside, he lets everyone know he is there! He is such a great dog!
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On the ferry from Bowen Island to Horseshoe Bay. I wonder what kinds of things are usually posted as "Tourist Alerts".
I couldn't help but chuckle when I noticed this sign appear at Taffs Well railway station. Has there been a problem with train crews forgetting to stop at the Treforest Estate railway station, I wonder, or is it simply that we do have dragons in Wales after all that Treforest Estate is where they lie in wait to snack on passing trains?
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Photography: Merthyr Road | Daily Desktop Wallpaper | 25x9 | Twitter.
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