Towheeblog

APR20-GG0 Nestcam, Montana Mountains
line to cam:   https://explore.org/live-cams/player/great-gray-owl-nest

8:52 AM Pacific Time.  Sharp call notes indicate an irritated Hairy Woodpecker nearby.  8:56 Hairy Woodpecker still sounding off nearby.  Female owl settles down on eggs after a feather shuffle.  It is a bright, sunny day there in Montana’s mountains.  8:57  Flicker calls; cranes bugling in far meadow.  8:58 Robin whinnies.  9:17 RB Nuthatch tooting his little tin horn.  Flicker calling again.  9:21 Crane bugling now.  Purple Finch singing not far from camera’s microphone.  Owl settled, looking around in nonchalant way.   9:55.  36 degrees, clear, windless there at nest site, 5000’ above sea level.  Female owl facing camera leans down and uses beak to re=arrange nest materials.  Then fluffs her feathers and settles back atop the eggs. Her long, flexible tail feathers (about 12 inches long of her 26 inch length) are arched back up against the far wall of the nest cavity.  9:57  Syncopated drumming of the RB Sapsucker heard.  9:58 Hairy Woodpecker loudly calling with sharp single notes.  Must be overhead as this is second time female owl has half-heartedly looked up over her left shoulder for the source of the annoying sound.  “Won’t that damned little woodpecker shut up so I can sleep.” 10:00 AM  Nashville Warbler singing not far from camera. Nuthatch sounding, not to be out-done by anyone.

11:46 AM  Temp is still 36 degrees, sunny. Air is still still.  Raven croaks very near camera site.  Purple Finch warbling not far off, likely from a treetop. Nashville Warbler still singing.  Mrs. Owl facing camera, eyes closed. All seems well with the world.  11:51 Raven croaks again, very near.  Distant woodpecker pecking on tree, drilling not drumming. Human voices off at the meadow.  Purple Finch calling constantly, not very near now.  Second, distant raven answers the near one, croak for croak.  11:55 Raven continues to rage.  Some woodpecker or nuthatch is drilling nearby, unseen.  Purple Finch relentless.  11:57 Crane joins the mid-day chorus.

High Noon.  Hairy Woodepecker very loud and  very agitated and very near.