In each group of animals, there often seems to be an outlier, one that just doesn’t seem to fit the pattern. I came across one of those creatures while visiting Florida.

While many owls nest in tree cavities or other high places, the small ground-dwelling burrowing owl makes its nest in underground burrows found in open, treeless fields. The burrowing owl is also active during the day unlike other owls that are nocturnal. Read more about the burrowing owl.

I couldn’t convince my companions to wait in hopes of seeing one of these curious raptors, so viewing the locations of their nests had to suffice. This property is across the street from condos and upscale hotels along the beach.

Watch full screen.

Related Posts

Owl Sighting (includes literature and art links, as well as owl labs)

I’m surprised that I don’t come across more feathers on my walks in the woodlands because of all the feathered friends I see there. (In a post below, I share more feather finds.) Feathers are such interesting clues to who is calling the forest home, as well as which birds are migrating through Atlanta. As in a previous post about caterpillars, the colors and patterns can be striking. Go to the Feather Atlas to identify feathers you find.

A reminder: Under federal law, it is illegal to take feathers home. For more information, see FEATHERS AND THE LAW.

I discovered the non-fiction picture book, Whose feather is That?, on a recent visit to Chattahoochee Nature Center. “Written by award-winning author, nature photographer, and naturalist Stan Tekiela, this interactive children’s book presents a photograph of a feather, along with a clever clue about the bird to which it belongs.”

Related Posts

More About Feathers (literature links)

Duck feathers (lab)

Silent Flight

Oil Spill (lab)

I’ve been asked how many species of caterpillars I’ve met while walking and I wondered too, so I gathered the photos into a file and made a video for us! Some of these caterpillars I’ve met often, while others I’ve seen only once.

Wow, I counted 32! The diversity, patterns, and colors are just remarkable! “Nature is the art of God.” (Alighieri)