Great-horned Owl fun in 2017

[centrarchid]

Owl now in large locust tree overlooking barn. Chickens silent. Owl very easy to see as it watched me get spotlight from truck.

 

[centrarchid]

Owl went briefly into barn and dogs went to barking. Owl flew around house as dogs tracked it by sight and growled. It appears to have taken an indirect route to land along road to north of house. Owl will be back shortly.

 

[centrarchid]

Owl came back many times last night after previous post. Cameras covered less than a 1/3 of barn interior but did not record owl or chicken behavior of interest. Owl appears to be going more for live mice than chicken carcass I moved. Will do some rearranging to see if desire images can be made.

 

[centrarchid]

Camera setup and bait will be returned to configuration used two nights ago. Owl is coming and hunting area around feed containers generally bypassing where chickens roost in pens. The problem was in part the owl literally knocked over camera in best position by perching on it. Daughter and I used zip ties to attach camera to an old tripod that will also be tied down. Then owl should not be able to knock it over with forces associated with landing and take off. I will orient a pen with in background so hen's reactions will be visible as well. Not dark yet and owl already getting active. I have a lot of technically good pictures of owl that have not been posted and will attempt to do video with phone.

Trying to get kids into recording observations.

 

[centrarchid]

Part of what to look for when chicken, especially hens disturbed by owl. Typically neck outstretched and held 45 degrees down from horizontal. I do not recall roosters making same display. My be sexual dimorphism with this response.

 

[centrarchid]

Second night in row with no owl. During day I found sign of a rabbit kill within fenced perimeter that was not there yesterday. Site was next to a cock pen at bottom of hill. I am betting owl is working a rabbit carcass that will take a couple days.

I do have lots of pics showing chickens sleeping. Interesting behavior there to be sure as well. Will check them for lice in early morning.

 

[centrarchid]

This likely to be last report for 2017. Rooster in pen along path to barn on ground at 0400. Very likely he was frightened by owl landing on his pen and being possible withing 18". Rooster not likely endangered but frightened none-the-less.