iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 17/06/2026

Visited a heronry yesterday and saw so many young birds! Great egrets, little blue herons, black crowned night herons, and great blue herons were all mixed in. I took this shot of a great egret coming in for a landing and was particularly happy with it #birds #birdphotos #greategret

Great Egret coming in for a landing on the top of a sweet gum tree, wings spread behind it, beak open, and toes out against a grey sky

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 06/06/2026

I’m livid. My boy Killua has digestive problems, and a week and a half ago stopped eating, was hiding, and was straining to poop. Our normal emergency vet was overloaded, so I took him to another one in the area. After a four hour wait, I was told he just had diarrhea (he had a tiny bit). They said

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 25/04/2026

A male summer tanager making his characteristic “pikituktuk” call before flying off #birds

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 29/03/2026

Always love seeing a hermit thrush, and it was chilly on this particular day, so it was in peak borb form #birds #hermitthrush

A hermit thrush perched on a branch facing the camera, feathers fluffed out for insulation, wings out slightly as it repositions

A hermit thrush perched on the end of a broken branch, facing the left, fluffed up to protect against the cold. It is facing to the left, with an errant branch just in front of it.

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 26/03/2026

A great horned owlet doing some stretching 🦉 #birds #raptors #owls

A great horned owlet perched on the side of a knot hole, one foot clutching the wood as the other hangs down in a stretch. It is looking to the right of the frame, towards the sunset

A great horned owlet perched on the side of a knot hole, one foot clutching the wood as the other hangs down in a stretch with talons out. One wing is also stretched down with the foot. It is looking to the right of the frame, towards the sunset

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 23/03/2026

One of my close friends requested I get back to making more bird posts here, so I’m going to do my best. More to come soon, but for now, here’s mama and baby mourning dove (its sibling was under mom for this shot!) #birds #mourningdove

A mother mourning dove facing the camera while her baby looks up at her, back to camera. They sit in a green leaf scoop nest.

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 04/02/2026

On the way home through my neighborhood, I pulled over to let a car pass (due to parked cars, only one could get by), when my roomie started freaking out. Just off the curb in a little dog park was this barred owl, who had just caught dinner! We just got a quick photo and moved on so he could eat ❤️

A barred own hunched in the snow, a mouse caught in its beak. The owl was only in my headlights because I had to pull aside and he was maybe 2 feet off the road. I didn’t linger long after the other car passed me, and let him eat in peace after this quick snap

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 24/01/2026

Hope everyone is prepared and will stay safe during the big winter storm this weekend! We had bitter cold here today, but I spent a couple minutes outside and got a few shots of a chilly mockingbird. Hoping to post here more this year! 🦉

A fluffed up mockingbird perched on the branch of a sweet gum tree. The bird is facing the left, and a few gum balls are still on the tree branches around it

A fluffed up mockingbird perched on the branch of a sweet gum tree. The bird is facing the camera with its head tired to the right, and a few gum balls are still on the tree branches around it. Its beak is open just slightly.

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 14/01/2026

Sorry I’ve gone MIA here. Fighting severe fatigue so I haven’t been out much, but I’m working with my doctor to hopefully take care of it so we’ll see. I will leave you with video of a bald eagle flying around my mom’s neighborhood before snatching a squirrel and flying off (missed the snatch!)

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 31/12/2025

Someone needs to tell my mourning dove pair that it’s a little early to be thinking about nesting…

A pair of mourning doves perched on the side of a lead scoop, full of twigs and leaves they’ve added over the last few breeding seasons to a nest they’ve used multiple times. The scoop is on top of a storage shed in a carport.

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 28/10/2025

Hello, I’m not dead, just still recovering from my Japan trip and adjusting to the sudden fall weather I’ve returned to. Slowly going through photos, which are mostly of brown-eared bulbuls, but I got some good ones at least!

A brown-eared bulbul perched on a branch, back to the camera as it looks up and to the left against a backdrop of green and yellow leaves

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 12/09/2025

Was hit by someone who ran a red light as I was making a left turn. I’m ok, but I’m worried my car is totaled. I love my little car 😭

A crunched up front bumper of a light blue Toyota car

A front bumper hanging off of a light blue Toyota car

A front bumper hanging off of a light blue Toyota car. Liquids from the car have spilled out onto the road.

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 06/09/2025

Didn’t have my good cam as I was just out downtown for dinner and didn’t expect many birds, but came across a purple martin roost on the walk back! It was about 7pm and there were hundreds flitting about. It was amazing to see in a bustling downtown area

Purple martins lining tree branches against an evening sky

A tree full of purple martins and a few starlings bathed in streetlights

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 04/09/2025

Going out of town for the weekend but stopped to see some late-arrival American avocets yesterday evening. Beautiful birds. #birds

An American avocet in a pond with its wings up, ready to take off to the left. Another is out of focus behind it.

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 21/08/2025

Today cooled a bit so I went for a walk. Not only was the park full of the songs of yellow-billed cuckoos (photos to come) but the butterflies were out and about. Got photos of a beautiful red-spotted purple and a monarch as they took short breaks

A red-spotted purple butterfly resting on gravel, wings outstretched he’d to show the light and dark blue bands fading to black, with touches of orange at the front tips

A monarch perches on a vine, wings held in a wide V-shape, showing the beautiful orange and black colors

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 20/08/2025

I didn’t get the greatest photos today - I was tired and the heat haze was awful - but I got three lifers when I only set out to get one. A swallow-tailed kite, a black-bellied plover, and a pair of American avocets! Added a photo of one of the black-necked stilts I found the other day also #birds

A swallow-tailed kite (left) flying with a juvenile Mississippi kite (right) on a partly cloudy but sunny day

A black-bellied plover walking along the edge of a small pond, one leg in the air as he searches for food

One of the American avocets found today, wading in a pond and looking to the right, the curl on its beak apparent from the side angle

A black-necked stilt stands in a pond, head tilted and looking up at the sky, one leg bent back slightly

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 04/08/2025

Sometimes your straight out of camera JPG is just perfect. No notes. #birds

A killdeer walking on rocks, back to the camera with one foot up, head turned to the left so its face is visible

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 01/08/2025

It’s finally cooled down a bit and I went out to the park today, but the wildfire smoke from Canada has made the air quality poor which ended up giving me a migraine 😔 On the plus, I’ve been seeing the Mississippi Kites in my neighborhood again! I’ve missed them since last year ❤️ #birds #raptors

A Mississippi kite on a bare tree branch against a cloudy sky, back to the camera but looking to the side

A Mississippi kite on a bare tree branch against a cloudy sky, back to the camera but looking down at it

A Mississippi kite on a bare tree branch against a cloudy sky, back to the camera but looking behind it

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 28/07/2025

While there we did his bloodwork. His thyroid is good, while his kidney disease is just at stage two. He was diagnosed with CKD a number of years ago so I’m thrilled it hasn’t progressed all that much. Vet said overall he looks great for seventeen years old!

Phantom, a grey cat, laying on a pleather loveseat with a blue blanket. He’s on his side with one paw curled up in front of his face. Both the blanket and the loveseat suffer from cat claw scars.

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 23/07/2025

Yesterday I had a thought… with the weather being so hot, there probably won’t be anyone fishing at the lake where the yellow-crowned night herons were spotted, so maybe they’ll be out and not hiding. I made the drive, and my intuition paid off! I saw not one, but three (only got pics of 2) #birds

A yellow-crowned night heron looking to the right among the vegetation at the edge of a lake

A juvenile yellow-crowned night heron bathed in golden evening light against the backdrop of the lake, a few tall blades of grass in the foreground

A yellow-crowned night heron repositioning a once-regurgitated crayfish for easier swallowing

A juvenile yellow-crowned night heron standing atop a log at the lake’s edge, grass in the foreground

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 20/07/2025

I want to go out and take pics but…

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 18/07/2025

Searching for weeks for the yellow crowned night heron that’s been spotted in this area. I come around the corner to see this in the path in front of me. I get excited for a moment…. Wait, why aren’t you in football mode!? You got my hopes up! #birds

A black crowned night heron standing in some grass, neck stretched up straight, looking straight forward. Odd not to see it in its normal hunched over football shape.

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 09/07/2025

A little late, but some pictures of the scissor-tailed flycatcher babies from Saturday! There were four in the nest and mom and dad were busy keeping them fed #birds

A scissor-tailed flycatcher flying in towards their nest, four babies with beaks open waiting for food popping out from the nest itself

An adult scissor-tailed flycatcher feeding one of its nestlings a dragonfly as another beside it tries to steal a bite as well

Three scissor-tailed flycatcher nestlings in their nest. The one on the left looks grumpy, the middle one is sleeping, and the one on the right looks inquisitive

A female scissor-tailed flycatcher perched on the end of a branch, watching for a good bug to feed her babies

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 05/07/2025

Went to check in on the barred owls today. The male was shy and fled as usual, but I caught the female looking around from a very small tree, just a few yards off the path and not very high up, giving me a great vantage point. She loves to pose and isn’t skittish 🦉 #birds #owls

A barred owl clinging to a thin diagonal branch of a small tree, looking over her shoulder to her left, green leaves blurred behind her

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 02/07/2025

Went out for a little bit today before the oppressive heat comes back, and watched this red-shouldered hawk hunt worms in a community garden while another squawked from the trees #birds #raptors

A red-shouldered hawk perched on a fence post, face pointed towards the camera, against a green background of trees

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 01/07/2025

Went to check on the scissor-tailed flycatcher pair yesterday. They were busy bringing bugs to their nest, where I heard little chirps of their nestlings, but couldn’t see them yet. I’ll check back in a week or two to see if they’ve fledged!

A male scissor-tailed flycatcher perched on a single branch in the middle of a farm field, body turned to the side

A male scissor-tailed flycatcher perched on a single branch in the middle of a farm field, looking forward as it searches for bugs

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 26/06/2025

Anyone more familiar with blue jay behavior than me know what’s going on here? It’s a cute little interaction, I’m just curious! #birds #bluejay

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 19/06/2025

Some more #thursjay photos of a Blue Jay raiding the peanut bowl. Hard to get shots because they’re so quick most of the time! #birds

A blue jay from the back coming in for a landing with its wings spread downward and tail up and flared, showing its under tail coverts as it aims for a blue bowl of peanuts

A blue jay from the back coming in for a landing with its wings spread up and back and tail flared out as it lands on the edge of a blue bowl of peanuts

A blue jay from the back, perched on the edge of a blue bowl of peanuts, its tail flared out and showing the bright blue feathers

A blue jay perched on the side of a blue bowl of peanuts, holding one in its beak as it looks at the camera

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 19/06/2025

I thought I was hearing a catbird earlier, but it sounded a little off.. turns out it was just a fledgling blue jay yelling for some food! A cute little guy and such a vivid blue 🥰 #birds

A fledgling blue jay perched on the branch of a bush, back to the camera and head turned to the right

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 15/05/2025

One of the coolest rock dove patterns I’ve seen so far. I love you rocker bird

A white and black rock dove with red eyes and tufty feathers on its head

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 13/05/2025

Me: probably can’t do any birding during my Toronto layover Random house sparrow in the terminal: wanna bet?

A house sparrow perched atop an arch over a restaurant in Toronto’s Pearson airport terminal

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 11/05/2025

Good mourning! Started off today’s banding with a mourning warbler! What a nice treat! It’s my last day volunteering before I head to Japan on Tuesday. Weather is lovely for it. Of course walked down to use the bathroom and don’t have my camera and a great-crested flycatcher poses nicely…

A great-crested flycatcher perched on top of a mostly filled in tree in front of a blue sky

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 06/05/2025

Another surprise today: a Baltimore Oriole! These birds breed here but tend to stay higher up, so they don’t get in our nets often. This beautiful guy decided to highlight our day. Thanks for stopping by! #birds All birds handled by trained volunteers and with the proper federal and state permits

A male Baltimore Oriole held by a bander in a photographer’s grip: he is looking towards the camera

A male Baltimore Oriole held by a bander in a photographer’s grip: he is looking away from
The camera with his tail flared to show the color

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 04/05/2025

We were graced by this lovely lady today! She flew into our nets and I was able to extract her. Our bander in charge was elated. Flickers are so cute ❤️ #birds All birds handled by trained volunteers and with the proper federal and state permits.

A female yellow-shafted northern flicker being held by a bird bander in a photographer’s grip

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 28/04/2025

Went out yesterday to see an extremely lost fork-tailed flycatcher. These guys are native to central and South America but this one ended up in the Midwest! Glad I made the trip #birds

A fork-tailed flycatcher perched on a bare branch in a field, back to the camera, with yellow flowers in the foreground

A fork-tailed flycatcher perched on a bare branch in a field, back to the camera but looking over its shoulder, with yellow flowers in the foreground

A fork-tailed flycatcher taking off from a bare branch in a field, back to the camera and wings out in flight, with yellow flowers in the foreground

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 25/04/2025

Some #FlickerFriday drama: came home to these two ladies fighting out front! #birds

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 24/04/2025

I’ve been exhausted, but here’s a very late #WoodpeckerWednesday of a downy woodpecker from this past weekend #birds

A male downy woodpecker clings somewhat upside down to a thin branch

A male downy woodpecker with one wing partially extended as he prepares to take off from a thin branch

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 21/04/2025

Good Monday morning! I’m up early for banding, but yesterday went out with my new lens and got some beautiful shots of a palm warbler. #birds

A palm warbler perched on a vertical branch, looking at the camera

A palm warbler perched on a vertical branch, looking up

A palm warbler perched on a vine, back to the camera but head turned to look back

A pine warbler perched on a bush, looking back at something inquisitively

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 20/04/2025

I got my new lens today, and despite it being dreary and close to sunset, I took it out for a bit. I’m not used to a silent auto-focus, and having the zoom internally is really nice. Despite my ISO being way too high, this series of a white-throated sparrow eating a dandelion came out pretty good!

A white-throated sparrow on the ground looks up at a dandelion that has yet to open

A white-throated sparrow on the ground stretched up to grab dandelion that has yet to open

A white-throated sparrow on the ground pulls down a dandelion to access the seeds inside

A white-throated sparrow on the ground works on a dandelion to get the seeds free

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 19/04/2025

Met a little tufted titmouse with a lot of attitude today. I adore these little guys so much ❤️ #birds

A tufted titmouse perched on a branch, looking straight ahead and singing

A tufted titmouse perched on a branch, looking straight ahead, feathers fluffed

A tufted titmouse perched on a branch, looking to the left, feathers fluffed and crest straight up

A tufted titmouse perched on a branch, looking to the side, crest straight up and wings starting to lift for takeoff

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 18/04/2025

Happy Friday! Yesterday I found a pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers hard at work building their nest. They make cup nests out of grass, weeds, plant fibers, and strips of bark, line it with plant down, feathers, and animal hair, and decorate with lichen and spider webs. Good luck little guys! #birds

A male blue-gray gnatcatcher placing nesting material in the crook of a tree

A male blue-gray gnatcatcher looking up after placing nesting material in the crook of a tree

A female blue-gray gnatcatcher sitting in the crook of a tree where a nest is being built

A female blue-gray gnatcatcher placing nesting material in the crook of a tree

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 16/04/2025

Happy Wednesday! Yesterday I went out thinking it would be cool to see the American Bittern that was reported nearby. I didn’t expect to ACTUALLY find it! A new lifer for me! #birds

An American Bittern trying to hide among the reeds in the marsh. He’s facing the wrong way, though

A close-up of the American bittern in the reeds. “You don’t see me!”

An American bittern slinking through the marsh vegetation, blending in well

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 11/04/2025

I’ve been trying new settings and such on my camera to see if it increases the amount of keepers I get. I was surprised yesterday that most of my yellow-throated warbler photos came out despite a grey sky background, and today this yellow-bellied sapsucker came out pretty good despite high-ISO

A male yellow-bellied sapsucker jumps from one branch to another, wings spread as he leaps

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 09/04/2025

Sorry I haven’t been posting much lately; we’ve had a lot of crappy weather and life has just been getting in the way. I did get out yesterday and got some pics of this beautiful yellow-rumped (myrtle) warbler, though! #birds #warblerwednesday

A yellow-rumped warbler male perched on a branch, showing yellow patches under the wing and a bit of his “butter butt”

A yellow-rumped warbler male perched on a branch, showing yellow patches under the wing and looking at the camera

A yellow-rumped warbler male perched on a branch, showing yellow patches under the wing and looking to the side, pops of new green leaves framing the shot

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 03/04/2025

I did go out a couple days ago and surprisingly found a young female pileated woodpecker flying about (with dad watching on from the nest hole). They nested early this year! #birds #woodpeckerwednesday

A juvenile pileated woodpecker on the side of a tree above a nest hole

The young female pileated woodpecker awkwardly slipping on the tree bark, one foot in the air and one wing spread, as dad peeks out from inside the nest hole below her

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 27/03/2025

The crows were going nuts outside so I figured a predator was in the area. Grabbed my cam and found them yelling at coop (who I haven’t seen in a bit). Seems to be missing some tail feathers - starting to molt into adult plumage! #birds #raptors #coopershawk

A juvenile Cooper’s hawk perched on a branch, hacking up a cast. It’s missing some tail feathers as the new ones are starting to grow in

A juvenile Cooper’s hawk perched on a branch, looking annoyed at the crows off frame. It’s missing some tail feathers as the new ones are starting to grow in

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 21/03/2025

I couldn’t get good pictures due to the lighting and distance, but I got to witness this female American kestrel hovering in place over a field before diving while hunting a few times yesterday. Beautiful to behold #birds #raptors

A female American kestrel hovering in mid-air, tail flared to keep steady

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 20/03/2025

Checked out the bald eagle nest at the nearby lake, where mom was roosting (the nest is too deep to see any babies yet). On the walk around the trail, my roomie spotted her mate in a tree on the close side of the lake for a change, and I was able to get some beautiful close ups #birds #raptors

A bald eagle perched on a tree branch, looking forward and to the right, head feathers blowing up in the wind

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 18/03/2025

A few of the shots of the great horned owl I got yesterday. Some noisy blue jays woke him up so I got him doing a little grooming. I wish the lighting were better but I’m glad I got these photos! #birds #raptors

A great horned owl perched on a pine branch, feathers fluffed and looking over one shoulder at the camera

A great horned owl perched on a pine branch, leaned forward as he fans his tail feathers and stretches his wings slightly

A great horned owl perched on a pine branch, head turned to groom his back between his wings

A great horned owl perched on a pine branch, body angled away from the camera but head turned to look towards it with a slightly annoyed look

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Katie🦋 @automationair.mad-sky.net · 15/03/2025

Despite the severe storms that tore through the area last night, the mourning dove nest was protected in my carport, and the little ones hatched today ❤️ Going to call them Stormy and Thor! #birds

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