Florida Gulf Coast Creations

Tag: Owl

  • Cape Coral

    Cape Coral

    Springtime in Cape Coral, FL means one thing …. burrowing owls. Nesting season is almost finished and most of the new owls have grown as large as their parents. They can fly and are learning to hunt. The family units are still intact so it’s fun to see several together outside their burrows.

    Burrowing Owl Quartet Outside Den
    Four Burrowing Owls Outside Their Nest

    The city of Cape Coral does a great job protecting the owls. They even have a Burrowing Owl Festival. Cape Coral has the largest population of burrowing owls in Florida and many people visit just to see the owls. It’s easy to get within 30 or 40 feet of them for some great photo opportunities. The owls are used to people, so they are tolerant. And photographers are very respectful of these little treasures.

    On this day, we saw almost 40 owls, which is a very big number. It was a positive sign that, despite a lot of new construction, the owls seem to still be thriving. The mannerisms of burrowing owls are so different from other owls. Typically, great horned owls, barred owls, and screech owls will sit very still in trees. Their movements are usually slow and smooth. Burrowing owls are like bobbleheads. Their heads are constantly moving as they stay on alert. The most feared predator of burrowing owls is a hawk so you will see them often looking up. It also makes catching a photo of them staring directly at the camera a challenge. Burrowing owls are beautiful little birds that are smaller than a crow. They are only found in Florida east of the Great Plains.

    The link below provides more information specific to the Cape Coral owls.

    home page – Cape Coral Burrowing Owls

    A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Myakka River Wildlife Destination

    Myakka River Wildlife Destination

    Myakka River State Park is a wildlife and nature gem. Located in eastern Sarasota County, it is one of the largest parks in Florida with over 37,000 acres. The Myakka River flows through the park and creates a variety of lakes, ponds, and flooded marshlands. Because of the diverse terrain, the park is home to a huge variety of wildlife.

    There are many types of migrating birds that spend the winter and spring months in the park including several species of waterfowl. It’s also a good place to find roseate spoonbills which are one of the most desired birds for photos in the state.

    Roseate Spoonbill Flying By
    Roseate Spoonbill Flying By

    A few more pictures from this journey are featured below. For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Baby Owls

    Baby Owls

    Many owls now have little owlets. We visited a nest in west Bradenton recently and there were two new little great horned owls. There are a few other spots that we will check over the next few weeks. It’s always fun to see the little owls because they’re cute and curious.

    Owlets Snuggling In Nest
    Great Horned Owlets Snuggling in Their Nest

    For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Active Owls

    Active Owls

    A few weeks ago, we headed out to look for owls. They are active now as the breeding season is underway. Our trip took us to the Sebring area and to Myakka River State Park in Sarasota County. We had success finding barred owls in both areas and also found a pair of great horned owls near Sebring. It was a fun day as the owls were very active which enabled us to get some rare flight pictures.

    Barred Owl Taking Off From Pine Tree
    Barred Owl Taking Off from a Pine Tree

    Our next photo shoot with the owls will surely include babies as many eggs have already hatched.

    For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • Burrowing Owls on The Move

    Burrowing Owls on The Move

    One of my favorite birds to photograph is the burrowing owl. They are absolutely adorable. The past few years we’ve had to travel 90 minutes to Cape Coral, FL to find them. The city of Cape Coral has become a sanctuary city for the owls.

    Burrowing Owl Stretching Right Wing
    Burrowing Owl Stretching His Right Wing

    But this year, thanks to a tip from fellow photographers and bird watchers, we were able to find a nesting pair much closer to home. It was exciting to see these little birds of prey move north. Unfortunately, loss of habitat has reduced their population over the years to the point of being threatened or even endangered in certain areas.

    Burrowing Owl On Ground By Nest
    Burrowing Owl on the Ground By His Nest

    For a larger selection of photos, go to the galleries listed.

  • More Owls

    More Owls

    The young great horned owls are growing quickly. Last week we checked in on our favorite family and they are still doing great. On Friday we visited an eagle nest for the first time in several months and to our surprise, the eagles had been displaced by great horned owls. In fact, their lone owlet is close to leaving the nest. I’ll post updates as the youngsters grow up.

    Great Horned Owl With Chick On Nest
    Great Horned Owl Female with Her Chick on the Nest
  • Great Day For a Great Horned Owl

    Great Day For a Great Horned Owl

    Yesterday turned out to be a great day to capture some photos of a female great horned owl guarding her nest. Great horned owls usually find the absolute worst spot in a tree for a successful photograph. It seems like they always want to sit on the darkest branches facing away from the sun amongst the sticks and Spanish moss which means lousy photo opportunities. But yesterday we caught a break. A female was sitting outside her nest filled with two new chicks watching over the area. Best of all, she was out in the open with good lighting!

    Great Horned Owl Female Resting On Branch By Nest
    Great Horned Owl Female Resting on a Branch by Her Nest

    We watched her and her mate all summer but lost track of them a couple of months ago. Two weeks ago, we were trying to locate them and heard a call coming from a tree but simply couldn’t find them. As it turns out, she was calling from her nest which was located in a crotch of a pine tree and covered with Spanish moss. She was completely hidden from view. What a joy to finally see her and her two new babies.

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