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Archive 2022 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

davev
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

On Feb 15th, a friend and I found great horned owl nest in a very convenient spot.
Mom was on the nest, 15 feet up, in a broken branch hole, pop in the tree across from it standing guard.

We'd go back every few days until one day mom was out, and you could see the bobbleheads in the hole.

For the next few weeks, we would watch them being fed, and get ready to leave the nest.

The oldest left first, we got to watch mom entice it to fly with rabbit bits.
A few day later, the other two joined the others in the trees.

Within 10 days or so, they were all gone.
They all died within 2 days of one another.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51883122067_141bcc3c72_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51935235772_a9faba25a4_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51939060321_7372a908a7_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51940651926_73702f05e0_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51949151193_cf5366ed94_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51947748713_82b3084407_b.jpg

4 days after this shot is when they started to die

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51991436455_3fc48f7140_b.jpg

This is when we knew something was wrong.
It was on the ground, a dead robin behind it, a vole in its talon, and it wasn't eating.
When we walked up to it, it spread it's wings and fell over.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52001280196_27bfe3d484_b.jpg

The raptor center was called, but this family couldn't be helped.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52001073455_67318e5b54_b.jpg

Over the next two days, they were all gone.

I normally enjoy the spring, and taking photos of owls.
This year it was more like a horror movie.
Much of the time, when we found a nest, within 3-4 weeks they would be gone. (5 nests)

I hope this is the last spring that something like this happens.

Jun 13, 2022 at 03:33 PM

dclark
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Powerful photographs that tell a story that starts hopefully but ends tragically.

Jun 13, 2022 at 05:12 PM

bs kite
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

davev wrote:
On Feb 15th, a friend and I found great horned owl nest in a very convenient spot.
Mom was on the nest, 15 feet up, in a broken branch hole, pop in the tree across from it standing guard.

We'd go back every few days until one day mom was out, and you could see the bobbleheads in the hole.

For the next few weeks, we would watch them being fed, and get ready to leave the nest.

The oldest left first, we got to watch mom entice it to fly with rabbit bits.
A few day later, the other two joined the others in...Show more →

I am very sorry and I feel a little of the horror myself.

Jun 13, 2022 at 05:13 PM

birdied
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

So sad . So very sorry

Jun 13, 2022 at 06:47 PM

richrwk
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Love your images. Such an important subject to inform people about. Thank you for sharing your images and the story behind them.

Jun 13, 2022 at 07:59 PM

A35Whelen
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

That's so sad.

Jun 13, 2022 at 08:04 PM

drip01
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Images with a (sad) story behind them, nicely done!

Jun 13, 2022 at 11:17 PM

gerov
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Thanks for sharing this story, Dave. Very nicely documented - I'm saddened by the outcome like others here.

Beautiful images.

Gero

Jun 14, 2022 at 08:01 AM

morris
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Very sad and equally sad that this has happened to many human families

Morris

Jun 14, 2022 at 11:43 AM

Nikki Jim
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Amazing photographs. So sad though 😢

Jun 14, 2022 at 02:52 PM

G.E. Smith
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Great images, sad story- Thank you for sharing.

Greg

Jun 14, 2022 at 03:29 PM

dj_hess
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Great set of image but a sad story. Incredible to hear that this happened to 5 nests. This doesn't bode well for the future population of GHOs in your area.

Dave

Jun 15, 2022 at 07:04 AM

psharvic
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Ditto- Fine pics, sad story.

Jun 15, 2022 at 09:17 AM

davev
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Thanks everyone.

Yes, we were wondering about the future population of great horned owls in the area also.

Will other owls take up residents in those nests, or near by trees, or will the areas just be empty.
I guess next year we'll know the answer.

Thanks again for looking and commenting.

This is a video that I took that day.
I describe it as it looks like a person with Parkinson's disease.

This is a bit disturbing, don't click on it if you don't want to watch.

Jun 17, 2022 at 01:42 PM

Dave_E
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

Thanks Dave a very sad story indeed. Myself and two friends watched a family of Great Horned owls up here all last year, three little ones that grew up and left. Then in January we saw the adults mating and we figured on another batch of owlets. Two days later the female was found dead stuck in a tree. She ate a rat that had ingested rat poison. Really sad.

Dave

Jun 17, 2022 at 02:12 PM

fkellerman
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · GHO that didn't survive the avian flu.

That is sad. Nature sure can seem cruel sometimes. Thanks for sharing.

-Fred

Jun 18, 2022 at 08:37 PM


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