May
18
2011
Janice Lorentz has been taking some incredible photographs of our resident nesting owls. She was here on Monday and passed on some pretty exciting news. Two Great Horned Owl babies are on the ground with mom and dad bringing them food. And, one baby is still up in the nest. This is the first report we have had with three total babies. What an unbelievable find!
Notice the difference in coloration between the female (featured in the top photo) and the male (last photo). He seems to have white on the eye brows and bib. This coloration on the male seems unique in comparison. We’ll use this information to see if the same male nests here next season.
Great Horned Owl Female
Lunch break with Dad
Male feeding juvenile Great Horned Owl
May
15
2011
What a great morning! Top 5 highlights from our Saturday morning nest tour included:
5. Checking out a Pacific Wren with a moth in its beak so big that appeared to be about a quarter the size of the bird itself!
4. Fantastic views from the spotting scope of the Hairy woodpecker nest complete with mom and dad taking turns feeding the babies.
3. A large turquoise blue egg shell dropped off under a cedar tree right across from the nature center.
2. Pacific Slope flycatchers flitting around in the maple trees whistling their hearts out.
1. The most adorable little fluff ball resting its chin on the mossy hollow, pouting as if he’s upset at mom, dad and siblings for leaving him all alone in the nest. We were also fortunate to catch him stretching his legs tall and testing out his wings too!
Barred owlet by Janice Lorentz
May
13
2011
Cheep! Cheep! Cheep! was all I could hear as I passed an old Red alder snag in the park. I had to stop to see what all the noise was about. This brand new family of Hairy Woodpeckers was putting on quite a show! Mom and Dad took turns bringing the babies (only audible at this point since I’m assuming they are too small to peek out the hole) fruit and tasty bugs to quiet thier cries. In all honesty, their appetite must be voracious because several trips and many bugs later, the babies were still cheeping! Check out the succession of photos I was able to take as I stood below the nest.
Hairy Woodpecker nest in an old alder snag
Female entering the nest
Female exiting nest after feeding young
Male with food for babies
Tail in the air!
My Birder’s Handbook says that it is common for Hairy Woodpeckers to lay four eggs in a clutch so I’m looking forward to seeing mini-Hairies soon. Furthermore, this species provides a stellar model for families everywhere, with mom and dad taking turns nesting, incubating, brooding and foraging 
