Tag Archives: Barred Owl

Barred Owl in Bamboo Grove

June 8, 2018 Ellen Jennings 7 Comments

A pair of Barred Owls frequents the pond near this stand of bamboo looking for food. This owl had just had an unsuccessful attempt to catch a noisy bullfrog.

The bullfrog stopped his song but the owl flew away with nothing in his talons. The owl chose a spot with a good view of the pond to watch and listen for his next opportunity.

Native bamboo was grown on the plantations in South Carolina to create natural barriers to help keep livestock in and keep predators out. Today it makes a beautiful addition to some of the area gardens and museum properties.

Raptor

Barred Owl

June 6, 2018 Ellen Jennings 3 Comments

We visited Beidler Forest last week with out of town guests. We were all delighted to see a Barred Owl shortly after leaving the visitor center and quite close to the board walk. The owl impressed the guests with a head swiveling demo but opted not to go fishing while we were watching.

Juvenile Birds, Raptor

Barred Owl Owlet

May 19, 2018 Ellen Jennings 8 Comments

A Barred Owl pair with two fledged owlets has been seen regularly from the boardwalk at Beidler Forest. We spotted just this one youngster taking short flights in the limbs above us.

The owlet was curious about the humans passing on the boardwalk below him, not bothered by our presence. A school group of about twenty-five kids and chaperones had just passed and a few of their stragglers stopped with us to watch the chick.

Raptor

Barred Owl, Low Light

May 8, 2018 Ellen Jennings 7 Comments

It had clouded over on our way to visit the owl spot meaning the light was low, but we continued on. It was for owls, after all.

He was there, looking around and fully aware we were watching him.

Raptor

Barred Owl With Reflection

April 20, 2018 Ellen Jennings 12 Comments

Portrait of a Barred Owl holding his frog catch.

Raptor

Barred Owl Portraits

April 19, 2018 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

The best time to photograph these Barred Owls is first thing in the morning. They hang around the pond looking for food and bathing. The tree canopy is filling in and the morning we were there it was mostly cloudy, so the resulting images aren’t as clear as I’d like. But they are Owls!

The image below was taken after the frog snack of my previous post. We were moving on and the pair flew over us headed back to the pond.

Raptor

Barred Owl Pair Getting Lunch

April 15, 2018 Ellen Jennings 10 Comments

The first Barred Owl from my previous post appeared to be just hanging out on a limb above a small pond, maybe nodding off.

All the while he was watching the water below. He dropped down and out of my sight. I circled around the pond to discover the Owl posing nicely at the base of a Cypress tree. I didn’t see the frog until I was developing the images.

The presence of the frog explained the behavior of the mate, who had moved to a branch above, hunched over watching, and was making clucking noises. After a few minutes of this they flew off together, I hope to share the frog.

Raptor

Barred Owl Pair

April 15, 2018 Ellen Jennings 8 Comments

One of these Barred Owls had been hunting unsuccessfully in the pond below then took a break with its mate. They rested awhile together, each did some personal grooming and then one moved to a separate branch.

Gradually they got further apart in that tree; unfortunately for me the light was behind them. I stayed where I was expecting that they might still be hungry.

Soon one of them flew to a branch right over the water where it was still dim but the light was behind me. He was temporarily distracted by a Hawk calling overhead, but soon became focused on the water.