Burrowing Owl Family of Cape Coral

[Second Hand Pat]

After visiting Ft DeSoto we went the next morning to Cape Coral to see how the Burrowing Owls were doing. We went to the Pelican Complex first and found two active burrows. A couple of the grounds keepers stopping by and said there was a pair for five owlets beside their equipment shed and away we went. Found the family and saw four owlets. One of the parent birds was banded and the unbanded bird had yellow eyes with black specks. I wonder if the population is getting inbred a bit.

The pair

Burrowing Owl Pair by Pat Husband, on Flickr

Mom maybe? This parent was doing most of the feeding. Note the eyes. It came near me, I think it was looking for food for the kids.

I know I left Something Over Here by Pat Husband, on Flickr

Tender Moment

Tender Moment by Pat Husband, on Flickr

Three of the four owlets.

Owlet Group by Pat Husband, on Flickr

Sibling Talk

Sibline Advice by Pat Husband, on Flickr

I will upload more tonight. Still working on the images
Pat

[brewmaster15]

I love these little guys.. burrowing owls are just really a neat owl. Very cool pics Pat. All of my burrowing owl shots are are from long ago and on slide or negatives.. your pics make me want to dig them out and scan a bunch..or better yet.. take some new ones!
Al

[dagray]

So very cool

I had nests mapped out when I worked armed security (full automatic rifles, belt fed weapons, and pistols for daily carry as we were protecting chemical weapons) at the Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot in North East Oregon.

Being that we are in the desert they were easy to find as there would be green grass where the nest was which contrasted with the brown desert.

I shot this photo around 2000 with my Pentax ME Super and an inexpensive 500mm lens with Kodak Portra ISO 160 VC (vivid color) film

p1203257124-5.jpg

[Second Hand Pat]

I love these little guys.. burrowing owls are just really a neat owl. Very cool pics Pat. All of my burrowing owl shots are are from long ago and on slide or negatives.. your pics make me want to dig them out and scan a bunch..or better yet.. take some new ones!
Al

Thank you Al Would love to see some of your older images of these guys. I am thinking of planning another trip to during chick season. Need to check out hotel pricing and I know a few folks who want to go. Always room for another
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

So very cool

I had nests mapped out when I worked armed security (full automatic rifles, belt fed weapons, and pistols for daily carry as we were protecting chemical weapons) at the Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot in North East Oregon.

Being that we are in the desert they were easy to find as there would be green grass where the nest was which contrasted with the brown desert.

I shot this photo around 2000 with my Pentax ME Super and an inexpensive 500mm lens with Kodak Portra ISO 160 VC (vivid color) film

p1203257124-5.jpg

Very cool Dave, guessing it's hard to get low on these burrows due to the grass and perhaps the birds being not use to people being around?
Pat

[Second Hand Pat]

When you send several hours with the burrowing owls you get to observe some interesting behaviors like them tasting flowers, practicing grabbing things and them simply being adorable goofballs.

Flower Tasting

Are flowers good for little Owls by Pat Husband, on Flickr

It's a jungle out here

It's a Jungle Here by Pat Husband, on Flickr

Practice prey

Is This Prey by Pat Husband, on Flickr

[dagray]

Very cool Dave, guessing it's hard to get low on these burrows due to the grass and perhaps the birds being not use to people being around?
Pat

All the nests were in a very restricted area so I shot them from my patrol vehicle (a full size SUV of some sort). They would stand the vehicle presence, but not people presence.

The Depot environmentalists along with fish and game came out and made a bunch of nests for them using some sort of PVC for the nest chamber.

[Second Hand Pat]

The last three images of the Owls maybe

Dad catches a moth

Dad Caught a Moth by Pat Husband, on Flickr

Feeding Frenzy

Feeding Frenzy by Pat Husband, on Flickr

After the Feeding Frenzy, Mom exits right

After the Feeding Frenzy by Pat Husband, on Flickr

[LizStreithorst]

You already how highly I regard your work, Pat. But dad with the moth in his beak is the best bird capture I can remember ever having seen. You could get rich from your work, but I understand.

[Second Hand Pat]

You already how highly I regard your work, Pat. But dad with the moth in his beak is the best bird capture I can remember ever having seen. You could get rich from your work, but I understand.

Thank you Liz, I got lucky with dad, I was hoping for an in-flight shot from him and then he landed and caught the moth. I was lucky
Pat

[jwcarlson]

So cool, Pat!
How big of a tank for a small family of burrowing owls?