The ABCs of Birds - O -

[anneintoronto]

Okay!  I can do OWL!  (Big)Frank Butson and some other serious bird watchers (who didn't get my small forages into humour...), from the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, took me out to Thickson's Woods, east of Toronto, to see a Great-Horned Owl!  It was raining, incredibly overcast, the owl was way up in an incredibly tall White Pine tree.  But he was there and I could have stood there forever, looking up at him.  I had had Alice the Great-Horned Owl on my knee and that was an incredible, never to be forgotten experience, but to see this wild one, was different... so magical...!  I'll never forget and owe Frank a good nod of gratitude!!!

Anne in Toronto

Great-Horned Owl -- really -- you can see the tuffs!!


and for good measure, because I was so captivated by her:

me & Alice the Great-Horned Owl & Karla Bloem -- Director at the Houston (MN) Nature Centre  -- Photo by Nora H in Iowa!!



Alice the Great-Horned Owl -- Photo by Nora H in Iowa, too!!

[dale]

Patti-

it's at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 14 miles from downtown Tucson, in the desert. http://www.desertmuseum.org/
"The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a world-renowned zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place! Exhibits re-create the natural landscape of the Sonoran Desert Region so realistically you find yourself eye-to-eye with mountain lions, prairie dogs, Gila monsters, and more. Within the Museum grounds, you will see more than 300 animal species and 1,200 kinds of plants. There are almost 2 miles of paths traversing 21 acres of beautiful desert."
Terrific place. They have raptor free-flight shows; I had also signed up for the raptor experience, and then the others who had signed up (a family) all got sick and didn't show. So I got LOTS of time with the birds. Flew the Barn Owl and Harris Hawk and got to spend time up close and personal with other owls, hawks, a kestrel, etc.
They also have a walk-in aviary that is unforgettable.
That place is where a hummingbird kept coming back to harvest fuzz off of my hoodie for the nest it was building. People gathered around to watch the hummingbird return and pick stuff off of me.

Anne - that isn't photoshopped or in any way altered - just cropped. they have other critters in with the big birds.

dale

[anneintoronto]

Anne - that isn't photoshopped or in any way altered - just cropped. they have other critters in with the big birds.

dale

Must have used the wrong phrase, as that was not what I meant...  Those legs look really natural, but really weird! 

A in T

[dale]

Patti - 

the american oystercatcher looks like he's trying to decide if he can patent this thing or not.

I didn't know what a fully-dressed sea urchin looked like.

dale

[Donna]

O is for OMG, this forum comes to life at night. Sheesh, don't you people sleep?   

Oh My God, Oh My goodness, or Oh My Gosh, a common abbreviation used in SMS and Instant Messaging (WIKI)

[Annette]

Oriental Honey-buzzard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Honey_Buzzard

[annieinelkhart]

I got here EARLIER!  So picking Osprey!  We are in Florida and saw about 8 of them yesterday, hope to get some better pictures.  But til then this is one with bad lighting we got yesterday.

[MAK]

Gayle, thanks for posting oxpeckers. I was fixing to ask.

OSTRICH!!!

We read about the harrier that flew alongside Aafke's car; here is an OSTRICH that RAN alongside of my car for quite a distance outside of Cape Town, SA.  I saw one down at the Cape of Good Hope too - that one was in breeding plumage.

dale

What a beautiful setting for this pic! Thanks!

[Annette]

Orange-headed Thrush

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange-headed_Thrush

[Dumpsterkitty]

O is for Spotted Eagle Owl

The Spotted Eagle-owl (Bubo africanus) is a medium-sized species of owl, one of the smallest of the Eagle owls. Its height is forty-five cm (18 inch) and its weight is from 480 to 850g (1 to 1.8 pounds). It has a 33cm (13 in) wingspan. The facial disk is off white to pale ochre and the eyes are yellow. It has prominent ear tufts, and the upper body is dusky brown, the lower parts off-white with brown bars. (Wikipedia)



This is Teeny from the Pot Plant Owl in Johannesburg, SA.  Teeny was very ill and spent a few days in rehab, but is doing very well now.  All 3 young owls fledged successfully.

[~Ruth]

O-Ostrich.  Large flightless bird native to Africa. Can run up to 45 mph. The largest of birds, 140-290 lbs, and lays the largest eggs.  Eats plants and insects. Life span 40+ yrs.  They have one specific mate but she lets him have a harem.  During dry spells they herd together in large groups.
Ostrich farms are popular in U.S.

[gayle]

Osprey

No, I do not have a good photograph of osprey.  I got so accustomed to seeing osprey nests on man-made platforms that I was genuinely surprised  to find this nest in a tree!  Somewhere in Northern California.

Gayle

[Dumpsterkitty]

...and an I can haz cheezburger perfect for today 



...though I'm not sure what kind of owl it is...

Ei

[Donna]

O is for: My One and Only:

Sorry, he's involved, he has to be.

[Bird Crazy]

...and an I can haz cheezburger perfect for today  



...though I'm not sure what kind of owl it is...

Ei

saw whet owl <<<<< might be spelled wrong but that is what my avatar is.

no pictures but I remember the first time I saw a great horned owl out in the wild good thing no one else was on the road cause I slammed on the brakes and went OMG! one of the biggest birds I have ever seen that close up except for my TV's