I follow our local Chenango Valley State Park on FB, and they recently posted a photo of a great horned owl and baby owlet. I’ve already gone there several times to check out the eagles, which are supposed to have an egg hatched recently.  So it wasn’t a matter of ‘if’ I was going to see the owls, but when!

Last Saturday, I got ther early, by 10am.  I went first to see the eagles nest, and met a runner who also stopped to look at the nest. I asked her if she knew where the owls were, and she did not.

So I took a walk, and on my return, I ran into a birder.  How could I tell? It would be the big binoculars and the cap that had a black bird and the words “RAVEN LUNATIC”. Easy to spot!  She gave me a detailed description of how to find the owls, and off I went.  Funny thing, on my way, the runner came back to find me, because she had also found the owls!  

They were just sitting on a branch, the owlet covered in down, almost leaning on the mom. I got several photos and returned later with Jamey, who got me started on the whole eagle spotting.  It was only fair to share the owls with him!

Great horned owl and owlet