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Monday, October 23, 2017

Wildlife at a water hole - moose, hawk, and owl!

When I tell you about the wildlife using water holes in our neck of the woods, I am usually talking about large mammals, like this mama bear.

And her cub...

I tend not to tell you about some of the cool birds that visit these water holes. Recently, the water hole pictured above has not been used by bears, as their metabolisms are slowing down and they're probably napping in the forest.

Rather, it's been used a lot by moose, a hawk, and an owl. I think that the hawk is a Cooper's Hawk. In this photo, he'd just taken a bath.

And I think that this owl is a Northern Pygmy Owl. He didn't bathe. I think that he was waiting for an unsuspecting song bird to visit the water.
This owl is tiny - about 6-7" tall. I think that it's so exciting that my trail camera captured video of this species.

I made a video of each of a moose, and then each of these birds visiting the water hole. You can watch it here or at Youtube. For those of you who know more about birds than I do, I am very open to the possibility that my identifications of these species are not right. Please leave a comment!


Thanks for stopping by today!
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22 comments:

  1. Yamini MacLeanOctober 23, 2017 at 4:22 AM

    Hari OM
    the video is fabulous - the sound even better!!! Am no expert on North American species, but I think your IDs are pretty good. YAM xx

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  2. The Adventures of the LLB GangOctober 23, 2017 at 7:34 AM

    What a great video..and the title sounds like the start of a good joke :-). I especially enjoyed watching the hawk bathing!

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  3. Chris and MikeOctober 23, 2017 at 7:36 AM

    What a grand way to start the morning - thanks for sharing! Do you have two cameras at the site? It's always fascinating to see the time and temperature logged in the film; your cameras capture a lot more daytime activity than I'd have expected.

    Your IDs look spot-on to me. Did you notice the small mammal the pygmy owl was grasping in one foot? Hanging down behind the branch it was sitting on.

    Cheers,
    Chris from Boise

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    Replies
    1. KBOctober 24, 2017 at 11:06 PM

      I steered at that thing below the owls foot for a long time. It confused me that he would just hold pray without doing anything more with it. So I decided that I was imagining it. If you saw it, I probably was not imagining it. Do you have any idea why the owl would sit there holding a dead rodent? It seems very odd to me!

      Delete
  4. MadSnapperOctober 23, 2017 at 7:36 AM

    I found myself smiling through the coopers bath time, a sight I will never see. and the slurps and swallows of the moose were amazing. that camera picks up the sound like we were there....

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  5. Mary HoneOctober 23, 2017 at 7:37 AM

    Love it!! I'm not sure on the hawk, but you are right about the owl. I went to a bird rehab in Montana were a friend of mine volunteers. They have a pygmy owl, and we got to see it close up when she brought it out. They are so very small.

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  6. DukeOctober 23, 2017 at 7:48 AM

    What a great video! That's a very popular water hole!

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  7. Millie and WalterOctober 23, 2017 at 8:01 AM

    What a fun video. I'm not up on western birds so I can't help you there. I too thought the owl had some prey in its talons. Thanks for sharing your videos.

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    Replies
    1. KBOctober 24, 2017 at 11:07 PM

      See my reply above to Mike and Chris. If you saw that pray too, I am sure that I was not imagining it !

      Delete
  8. MurphyOctober 23, 2017 at 9:31 AM

    Such a cool video! That moose sure is a noisy drinker!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  9. NanaNor'sOctober 23, 2017 at 12:27 PM

    I love seeing all the creatures you get KB. Such an incredible area you live in.
    Sending hugs to you and the pack.
    Noreen

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  10. ♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥October 23, 2017 at 1:15 PM

    Fun video - and so realistic. We almost felt like we were in a tree watching:)

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  11. Ruby Rose and the Big Little Angels 3October 23, 2017 at 6:22 PM

    I love to come here and get my full of beautiful pictures and nature.

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  12. BarbOctober 23, 2017 at 6:29 PM

    KB - a great video! We have so many moose moving through right now. Most recently, we're seeing a Mama with twin calves. I've been wondering if bears are still roaming. I haven't seen signs of any on the trails.

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  13. Idaho PugRanchOctober 23, 2017 at 6:58 PM

    love watching the owl's head swivel around!
    hugs
    Hazel & Mabel

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  14. NCmountainwomanOctober 23, 2017 at 8:12 PM

    Yep. That's a moose all right.

    What a great selection of videos.

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  15. RubyOctober 23, 2017 at 9:16 PM

    OMD, I forgets how HUGE a Moose is! BOL! Ma says he drinks like me...heheheee Ma liked the Hawk the bestest! She likes watchin' the burdies bathe...they do it alllll the time in my fountain, and it just cracks her up!
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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  16. My GBGV LifeOctober 24, 2017 at 5:05 PM

    I guess it would be considered a community bath!

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  17. Tweedles -- that's meOctober 24, 2017 at 7:20 PM

    Oh wow,, wow wow ! These videos are soo wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
    love
    tweedles

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  18. jank1961October 25, 2017 at 1:34 PM

    You don't often get to see a bird like that taking a bath - what fun!!

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  19. Jo's WorldOctober 25, 2017 at 8:44 PM

    Such good fun you make for us all, girl! I loved the exuberant little owl who did the bath dance for us. and the slurpy moose. Cheers and hugs, Jo

    ReplyDelete

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