Bubo bubo~

The Bubo bubo AKA Eurasian Eagle Owl is the world’s heaviest owl.

It’s wingspan can reach over 6 feet!

These owls are top of the line predators, meaning they are not normally prey for other animals, and will even occasionally prey on other raptors.

I got to spend time with this beauty as he flew free at his home in Avian Behavior International in rural Southern California.

Bubo bubo’s are native to Europe, Asia and parts of Africa.

Their populations declined heavily in the mid 1900’s, but due to conservation efforts, the species is recovering.

Cheers to you from The gorgeous, free flying Bubo bubo~

Hoo R U?

Nov19

Meet the very curious burrowing owl who clearly wonders who the heck you are!

Burrowing Owls are a federally protected species in the US, Canada, and in Mexico. They are designated endangered, threatened, or a species of special concern, in nine US states, including California.

This burrowing owl pair lives at Avian Behavior International in rural Southern California. You cannot keep burrowning owls unless you are licensed and raise them for breeding, conservation, rehabilitation, and/or educational purposes.

These curious and unique ground dwelling birds live in burrows in the ground where they hide from predators and raise their young.

They are tiny, but big in looks and personality! I have only seen them in the wild a few times in the last ten years because they are now very rare where I live. But click and check out this curious wild cutie that I met a few years ago:

Look Who Came to Play Today~

Cheers to you from the precious and endangered Southern California burrowing owls~

Saker Falcon~

Nov5

Incoming,

at 88 mph!

I duck,

he nails his prize,

and promptly mantles so I won’t steal it.

Saker Falcons have been falconry birds for 1000’s of years.

They are an endangered species, native across Central Europe to China.

This is Katie Pnewski, a brilliant and comitted bird trainer,

and bird lover, who works at Avian Behavior International,

a conservation and bird advocacy organization near The Holler in rural Southern California.

I spent an incredible day here today, and will be introducing you to more of their amazing birds and conservation efforts in my next posts. For more on this worthwhile organization see:

https://avian-behavior.org/about-us/conservation/

Cheers to you from the phenomenal Saker Falcon and his devoted human~

Yoho~

Oct1

Muted fall colors, (click to enlarge)

and pale powder rivers.

Canada is gorgeous,

in every season,

but fall’s,

subtle splendor,

takes your breath away,

as does a gregarious gray jay!

Cheers to you from Yoho National Park in the fall~

Kissing Cousins~

Sep12

Beautiful Maui,

has beautiful critters. (Red Crested Cardinal)

Did you know? (Spotted Dove)

Birds are close relatives, (Myna Bird)

to turtles?

I certainly didn’t know, and neither does this baby myna!

Turtles seem to know everything, (Green Sea Turtle)

so this friendly guy,

who swam right up to me, probably wouldn’t be surprised.

Green Sea Turtle Refuge~

We even have a colony of green sea turtles living in San Diego Bay. Check them out, they’re beautiful.

Swimming hole coastal Maui. (Click/tap to enlarge).

We are flying off soon to Canada, but it is still:

Cheers to you from Maui~

For more info on turtles and birds: https://news.yale.edu/2014/05/05/study-finds-turtles-are-closer-kin-birds-crocodiles-lizards-snakes

A Cardinal Achievement~

Aug3

Some of you may remember that I have only seen and photographed cardinals twice in my life, once in Buenos Aires, and recently in The Superstition Mountains in Arizona. (Tap to enlarge).