Market Lake - Two Days - July 14th & 15th

This post will be for the past 2 days - the 14th and 15th - and a total of 3 trips out to Market Lake.  I made 2 on the 14th and one trip on the 15th.  If you've only come to see the Barn Owl - you'll have to scroll to the bottom!

First up - Thursday.

Even tho' I had a late night at work I was up early to go to Market Lake.  Now days I have to make the most of my days off so sleep will have to come later!  Each time I go out - there are more and more babies - All Sizes!  Found some cute ducks close to the road - forgot to see what the Mom was so I'm not sure what these are - besides CUTE!!!

So many hawks flying about.  These dark colored ones are usually sitting on the road and I'm wondering if they aren't the young - but of what I'm not real sure - possibly a Northern Harrier???  Anyway - this one was busy eating something - if you look close that's a bone of some kind down in front of his legs.

This one was sitting on a post but when I stopped for the one on the ground it took off and circled and screamed at me!  Maybe this is the parent??

Down the road I stop for a bird sitting right by the road.  I think this may be a young White Faced Ibis - unfortunately he's injured his leg somehow -it's the leg on the left and the injury is up high - you can maybe see red (blood) against the darker background of feathers.  Not sure if he'll make it - the leg seemed totally useless to him but he was able to take off and fly as I slowly drove by him. 

Much to my surprise the Great Blue Herons were at the trees - there were 2 of them sitting up on the topmost branches.  Interesting fact - they actually nest IN trees. 

I walked the trees but only saw a Great Horned Owl and he was sitting way out on the west side and down low so no shots of him.  

Here's a couple of the other birds I saw on my way south.

An Eastern Kingbird

And more babies of some kind.  
 

Found the Muskrat in the narrow canal and he was busy gathering grasses so I watched him for awhile.

And these from the evening trip of the Short Eared Owl.  I was actually backing down the road to the spot where they sometimes land (too lazy to make a U-turn) and didn't expect to see him on the dead tree to my left.

Some smaller birds were NOT happy that he was sitting there and started buzzing him so he was keeping an eye on them.

Now it's Friday - I didn't go out in the morning - had errands to do and cleaning to catch up on - and almost didn't even go out in the evening!!  So glad I didn't stick with that decision and went ahead and made a trip out!!

The Swans were busy feeding - mostly it was heads under water but I managed to catch a couple shots where they had a few of the heads up.

And the other parent.

Then I stopped to walk the trees.  Hadn't had much luck in the morning but hoped to catch the Great Horned on this trip.  There was a man and his daughter and they had their cameras pointed high up so I stopped and looked and here it was the Great Horned Owl.

We chatted a minute and I ALMOST turned around and went back south.  Going on north was the right decision as I caught sight of something - high up - on the far edge of trees.  Whatever it was - I wondered if it wasn't just a bee hive I'd never noticed - so I got out the binoculars.  NO WAY!!!  Could it possibly be???  

YES!!!

It's a BARN OWL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm a nice person so I went back to find the people who had been shooting the Great Horned Owl and share my find with them.  

A Barn Owl was a first for me - better photos would have been nice - but he/she wasn't interested in making it easy for me.  I was just happy that it did finally turn around to look at us otherwise I wouldn't have anything but photos of it's back!!

What a Great Trip!!!!!!!!!

And yes, in case you're wondering.  We did get off the trail and walk where we probably weren't supposed to.  Now that that they have all the signs up.  But I wasn't about to miss this opportunity!!  Sorry!!

Lots of babies again on the way south.  These might be Northern Shovelers.

Down further south I stopped when I spotted a bird flying north up the canal.  I got ready and got a few shots of this Osprey.

Was hoping the Short Eared Owls would be near the road but this is the only one that was "close".

Got some shots of the evening sunset.

Now it's back to work - once again I have 3 late nights coming up and had to get up early this morning to see Don off on a bike ride.  Maybe I need to start playing the lottery . . . 
Thanks for looking!!