Fledgelings

This week we headed back out to Summer Lake Wildlife Refuge. There are always some birds that use the refuge as a nesting site. We were hoping to catch images of some babies.

Summer Lake didn’t disappoint. A trip to the refuge always presents something new. The seasonal changes alone are worth the drive. This visit was no exception.

A Great Horned Owl family, nesting in a willow, seemed as curious about us, as we were them. This owl starts nesting early with both parents sharing in the rearing.

The fledgelings are climbing trees in 5 weeks and fly by the 10th, but are still being fed by parents for several months. Their body is covered in a downy white fluff and lack the pronounced ear tuffs, but have the darker facial disc and yellow eyes.

Great Horned Owls vary in color by region with PNW species having a dusty gray brown tone.

We also happened across a flock of American White Pelicans. Breeding adults have a yellow plate sticking up on the front of their massive bill.

This group included some fledgelings, as southern Oregon is one of the few breeding sites along the migration route.

These are one of the largest birds in North America. The American White Pelican has white plumage with black flight feathers and has a nine foot wing span.

We also caught sightings of yellow-headed blackbirds staking out breeding territory and foraging. The Stilts were still around in great numbers, though we didn’t see any chicks. As well as the usual pairs of ducks in a variety of species and Canada geese.

There was also a White-faced Ibis wading and feeding in the short grasses on the edge of a shallow pond.