Stay hidden now, my furry friend,
Be still as you can be,
Though warning sounds that night air rend,
Send chills through you and me.
The great horned owl gets hungry too,
He craves a juicy meal,
Let’s make him think you’re tough to chew,
Your flavour’s no big deal.
Instead he sits up on that branch,
And tries to scare some rat,
Whose face with terror then will blanch,
And that, they say, is that.
You can hear the great horned owl shrieking, trying to scare the rat (or anything that moves). He’s hard to see in the dark, but watch to the end and you’ll hear him screeching back and forth to his girlfriend, telling her to come over and have supper with him.
Turn on your sound. If you click to make the video clip full screen, it will look better.
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November 24, 2023 at 4:45 pm
That’s a spooky sound. It’s so quiet otherwise. It’s never that quiet here.
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November 24, 2023 at 5:06 pm
I would miss it if I ever had to leave here. There is so much life around here. I think having trees and shrubs for birds and animals to hide helps a lot.
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November 24, 2023 at 6:54 pm
Anneli, your photos and video are beautiful! The owl is so amazing at making its call. The night photo with the water is very beautiful. 😍
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November 24, 2023 at 7:17 pm
Thanks, John. I feel lucky to live in a place where we have so much life around us.
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November 24, 2023 at 7:18 pm
You guys are blessed. ❤️🇨🇦
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November 24, 2023 at 7:20 pm
I think so too, John. Thanks.
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November 24, 2023 at 7:21 pm
You are welcome. 😊
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November 24, 2023 at 6:59 pm
Your photos are fantastic, especially the third one, and your video of the owl is so great! I’m surprised he didn’t fly away. I so enjoy “your” wildlife, Anneli.
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November 24, 2023 at 7:20 pm
I love the wildlife around here too, Lynette. It seems like every day I see some little thing that’s special to me. Having the trees nearby has been a real draw for small animals (and we’ve had bears a few times too, in the past, but I try not to think about that). I’m really pleased that you enjoy seeing my menagerie.
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November 24, 2023 at 7:55 pm
Nice poem and photos Anneli. All rodents are right to fear the owl, especially with the fearsome screech. Have a great evening. Allan
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November 24, 2023 at 8:04 pm
I found a rabbit’s head below that same fir tree that the owl sat on for the video. They take some good-sized animals. Poor rabbit, but that’s nature. It’s cruel in a way, and yet that owl was probably so happy to eat. Anyway, thanks for the visit and the nice comment, Allan.
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November 24, 2023 at 9:10 pm
Cool video! 🦉
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November 25, 2023 at 5:07 am
They all have to eat but I tend to root for the little guy(s). Sweet shots of the squirrel.
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November 25, 2023 at 9:42 am
Yes, me too.
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November 25, 2023 at 8:17 am
Beautiful pictures and an outstanding video. You have a lot of wildlife in your yard. I also like your little poem.
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November 25, 2023 at 12:47 pm
Thanks a lot, Ursula. The trees help to keep all these little animals around. I think you have a lot around your place too.
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November 25, 2023 at 1:30 pm
That’s nature. How lucky you are to hear a great horned owl! Best to you, Anneli.
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November 25, 2023 at 8:19 pm
Thanks, Jennie. We hear them quite often in the trees around our house. It’s a wonderful sound (as long as you’re not a little animal it wants for dinner).
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November 26, 2023 at 6:16 am
Exactly!
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November 25, 2023 at 3:01 pm
Cute poem, Anneli, with great photos and awesome video. I love owls, and that is the circle of life. 🥰
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November 25, 2023 at 8:20 pm
So right about that circle of life. Thanks for the visit and the kind comment, Lauren.
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November 26, 2023 at 10:22 am
I love the Barred Owls around my house, Anneli, though the squirrels aren’t happy about them. It was fun listening to your Great Horned Owls. And that photo of the moon was magical. 🙂
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November 26, 2023 at 10:37 am
We have barred owls too, and I had to check the ID of my owl in the video to make sure it was a great horned. Also, they both have a range of calls, so it was hard to know for sure at first, but the great horned has that white line of feathers down the breast (and of course the “ears”) and the barred owl does not.
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November 26, 2023 at 11:08 am
I love owls and it’s fun to listen to them. But I never seem to my phone on me when they pay a call. 🙂
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November 26, 2023 at 11:12 am
They are elusive, for sure.
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November 29, 2023 at 4:39 am
Wow! You have a lot of wildlife around you Anneli and loads of patience to capture such a lovely collection of images! I loved your story. We have owls and Tawny Frogmouths here, but the don’t sound anything like your owl, he’d make me jump!
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November 29, 2023 at 9:02 am
I think that’s the idea of the screeching. It makes little mice jump and the owls they can see where they’re hiding. But I do love having all these birds and animals around me. We have a lot of trees and shrubs. It’s not a perfectly clipped manicured lot, but that’s why the animals like it. Lots of places to hide and lots of food.
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December 1, 2023 at 2:57 am
That video was fascinating. I hope your squirrel friend made it through the night!
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December 1, 2023 at 6:22 am
The owls get the odd one, but so far none of “mine” have been caught. It helps that squirrels sleep at night (here, it’s in the wood shed where they are safe), and the owls, for the most part, hunt at night. But I have seen them in the daytime.
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December 1, 2023 at 3:45 pm
I’ve never seen an owl out there. Our yard doesn’t have a lot of trees, but I’m sure they’re around.
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December 1, 2023 at 8:44 pm
They are rarely seen, but when I do see one, I feel it’s a real treat.
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December 3, 2023 at 1:36 pm
Yes!
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December 1, 2023 at 6:48 am
Fun ditty about the owl and squirrel, Anneli, and I enjoyed this look at the GHO and the screeching. I would’ve thought the screeching was coming from a screech owl if I hadn’t seen proof in the photo. How lovely to have all of this in your backyard.
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December 1, 2023 at 9:25 am
Yes, I wondered about the screeching too because they usually do the “who-cooks-for-you? whoo?” sound, so I googled a lot of different sound clips on the internet to be sure. And yes, I do love having my menagerie here. Thanks for your visit and nice comment.
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December 2, 2023 at 8:02 am
Anneli, your photos are great and your poem is so sweet. I loved hearing the screeching of the owl. You are fortunate to have so many interesting companions in your backyard!
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December 2, 2023 at 9:53 am
I agree, Carol, we are so lucky to have these little animals all around us. We’re just outside of town and we still have big trees and shrubs nearby, so the birds and other animals have someplace to hide and to do their daily business, whatever little animals do all day.
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December 3, 2023 at 1:16 pm
In the darkness of night, I’d be joining others in a safe place for an overnight hangout.
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December 3, 2023 at 2:24 pm
Yup! Me too.
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