Whoooo is watching you?

[Mama Hen Chris]

Every evening I let the girls ( 8 weeks old) out of their run for about 20 minutes before they retire for the night. One evening I heard a HOOT from the neighbors' pine tree and found a Great Horned Owl very high up in the branches barely visible. I scooted my girls back into their run as fast as can be. The owl finally flew off. The owl has been by every now and then but has flown off before I let the girls out. It also "hoots" letting it's presence known. Haven't seen the owl in 4 days so figured it found a new place to look for dinner.

Tonight I let the girls out as usual and was cleaning their run. For some odd reason I looked up into the neighbors' tree and the owl was about 15 feet up staring them down. No "hooting" at all Too close for comfort!! And it was in the open branches, not concealed in the pine needles as it usually is. My girls did not seem concerned as I was. They were happily looking for bugs in the grass. Called hubby (he was nearby) over to watch the girls with rake in hand to protect them because I wanted to take a photo. I have my camera out with me as you never know when you will get a good shot of the girls! Took a couple and this one was the best. As soon as I snapped my couple, hubby shook the rake and yelled at the owl and off it flew.

Gonna have to check the tree carefully now before letting the girls out.

This is Whooo was watching us tonight!

 

[Imp]

That's a beautiful pix.

Imp- Hoping it's a vegetarian.

 

[downstownlady]

Great pic...but

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Thanks Imp and downstownlady. I love taking pics!

Hopefully it's a vegetarian as well! There are plenty of little 4 legged creatures close by in the desert for it to capture. I worry about my Shih Tzu's. They are small but too heavy to carry off. Those talons can do some damage though.

my kiddos Miley & Murphy

 

[mrsbos]

Wow! That is an incredible picture! And I thought I just had to worry about hawks during the day. I have some pretty tall spruce trees all over my backyard. I have never ever seen an owl in the trees, but then again I'm not usually in my backyard looking when it starts getting dark.

I need to remember to keep my camera with me at all times when I'm out with my chicks (6wks old). When we were swooped by a hawk the other day, the hawk later landed on my trampoline, and I would have given anything to have had my camera on me to snap a picture. Of course there are always cute chick 'moments' too that just need to be captured!

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Quote:
Thanks mrsbos. Have had red tailed hawks here but not since my dogs were 8 weeks old. (they will be 3 in Dec.) Didn't think we would have owls in our neighborhood. Owls usually roam in a 5 mile distance from where they were raised. I am thinking this one is from the hotel where I used to work which is 5 miles. The hotel has a pair of owls that live in the palm trees there. I watched them raise 3 owlets one year. I snapped pictures of them every day. I love nature, but not that close to my girls.

That would have been a great shot of the hawk on the trampoline! Keep the camera handy. I keep a pocket one in my purse and use my canon rebel when not on the go. I agree with the "cute moments". I have thousands of photos of my critters and such. LOL

 

[kichohana]

What a beautiful picture. It was nice of Mr/Mrs Owl to let you know they were nearby instead of just swooping down and running off with one of your girls. Good chicken-mama you were out there being vigilant watching your girls.

 

[sourland]

Uh, vegetarian, NO! Be very careful with your dogs. Cats and skunks are among the favored prey of Great Horned owls. Your dogs are not much bigger, and a hungry owl might not hesitate to try them. It knows that you have chickens, and will continue to visit. The do not necessarily fly off with their prey. They will kill by impact and eat on site.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Wow! Those eyes!

It doesn't miss a thing, does it?