Tuesday 23 June 2020

Wild Bird Wednesday 413 - Powerful Owl

The Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) is Australia's largest owl with a weight of up to 2.2 kg and a wing span of of almost 1.5m.  It's a big and impressive bird!  The feed on possums, bats and other birds and can be sometimes be found roosting with the remains of the nights hunting in their claws (although I have not seen that in the flesh yet!)

This bird is one of a well known pair in the northern part of Melbourne, and for once I was able to find it when I visited the site.  I'm not as close to the bird as the picture look - it was at the top of a high tree and I used a long lens!

As is often the case for me, the bird took delight in hiding behind a small twig which rather obscures the view - but I still like the pictures.  I was going to go and have a look for the birds again today, but that part of Melbourne is having a bit of a C19 spike - so I stayed away!







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18 comments:

  1. It is indeed a powerful owl, Stewart. I have only ever seen one of them, in the Sydney area of NSW, and since it was starting to get dark, and the bird was high in a tree with intervening vegetation, there are no pictures of the encounter. Let us both cross all of our appendages that are crossable, and hope that Covid-19 has relented by next July, and perhaps we can find one together with a flying fox in its talons. I'll buy the wine to toast our success!

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  2. What a massive body he seems to have!
    Thanks for sharing.
    Have a nice week!

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  3. That is a gorgeous owl! Love the beautiful feather pattern!

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  4. Though I watch for them, I have never seen an owl in the wild. This one is a beauty!

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  5. What a handsome owl! Twigs and branches often show up in my photos as well.

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  6. The owl is well-named. Before I took up photography I never gave a thought as to how much of the bird I saw at any one time. Often was impatient when photographers held up the group or fell behind. Now I am the offender! I understand.

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  7. Hi Stewart. It's difficult to get to full impression of size but it's clearly big. Not something to tangle with.

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  8. Hari Om
    It's a beauty alright - and really quite the poser! YAM xx

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  9. Yes a very impressive Owl Stewart. Thanks for hosting and have a stay week ahead

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  10. Beautiful bird!
    Thanks for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

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  11. What a beautiful, impressing owl!
    Thanks for hosting!

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  12. Just having a chance to see such an impressive bird would make my day, Stewart!
    Nice work capturing a few images. I am all too familiar with that "peek-a-boo" behavior! And it seems the more uncommon the bird, the more common the behavior!

    Thank you for continuing to share the birds of the world.

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  13. Hello steward
    wow that's what i call a photo series worth seeing, beautiful face with the owl, i like it very much
    stay careful and healthy
    Regards Frank
    P.S. a translation program would be helpful for me, thanks

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  14. It does look powerful! Thanks for hosting.

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  15. Wow I love these photos, the branch actually adds to the charm. My nephew lives in Melbourne and he says it is not a good place to be at present!! Stay safe, Diane

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  16. Hi Stewart, such a big owl. You are lucky you can see them. I love owls. Greetings Caroline

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