a few from Rob Brook Trail, Sunday 26th

[forestgnome]

juvenile hairy or downy woodpecker ?

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/forestgnome/361aaa.jpg




http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/forestgnome/269aaa.jpg




two Bicknell's thrushes were bringing food to a nearby nest...

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/forestgnome/374aaa.jpg




http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/forestgnome/388aaaa.jpg




http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/forestgnome/396aaa.jpg




http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/forestgnome/405aaa.jpg




I saw an adult Barred owl that was waiting for food to scurry by. It flew off, but on the way back out in the same spot I heard the whining of two juvenile owls. They reminded my of the eaglet on Lake Umbagog who whined as soon as the parent eagle left the nesting tree.

One of the babies came out to see me and perched a few times, each time a little closer until he was right at the edge of the trail.

Here he is whining for mama...

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/forestgnome/606aaa.jpg



scrathcing his ear...

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/forestgnome/598aaa.jpg




http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l190/forestgnome/613aaa.jpg




Just after this shot I missed an awsome shot...I was resting from pics and just looking at him when he suddenly flew right at my head. He had seen a creature on the trail and flew a few feet over my head and hit the ground behind my. He frantically searched the tall grass but came up empty handed, then he flew back up to another pearch and whined for mama again.

happy trails :)

[KD Talbot]

Once again you've blown me away! Great shots, Patrick!

KDT

[Charlie]

i second that
thanks

[Snow Miser]

I third that! Owls are such beautiful birds. Thanks.

[KathyC]

And a 4th............:)

[Bretton Woods Brat]

All of the above... ;)

[mtruman]

Amazing Patrick! Your recent bird pics have been incredible. I particularly love the ones of the owl.

[CHRIS]

Fanastic shots Patrick. I would love to bag me an owl shot. It brings me back to an embarrasing night last year when my family and I were driving around Dartmouth and I hit the brakes and backed up to point the head lights on a tree that had a big hole in it and there was a baby owl just sitting there. I was getting depressed that I did not have my camera when I noticed it was not moving. So I drove a little closer and realized someone had put a cut out picture in there and it was not a real owl. My 9 year od never lets me forget it.

[forestgnome]

Oops! Thanks for nice comments. The thrushes are not Bicknell's; they are hermit thrushes. I did not realize how similar they are visually. Expert birders have difficulty distinguishing visually.

Also, the woodpecker is a juvenile yellow-bellied sapsucker.

I am an apprentice naturalist :o

happy trails :)

[Judy]

Just had to post about the beautiful owl pictures. :) When I was in my late teens (pre-marriage and manyyy moons ago!!) I lived in York, ME, and my boyfriend and I took a ride up around the beautiful mountains, a Sunday drive that we did often. We stopped at a place that had all kinds of birds, owls etc., can't for the life of me remember the name of it, one owl in particular, he was beautiful, did not take a liking to me. He stared me down... maybe I just stood there too long staring... but I sure took a liking to him and ever since then I have loved them. I have never seen one in the wild tho.

Remember when all the malls used to sell carved, wax candles from vendors? My son bought me an owl, about a foot and a half tall, glass eyes, beautiful coloring, beautifully sculptured, for Christmas one year... I still have it to this day :) Yes, they do keep for years!! :)

Thank you for the photos! Brought back alot of memories.

Judy