This owl was hanging out in a tree all day and then before sunset moved to the fence.

It was awe inspiring to spot an owl in the tree outside our bedroom. I spent a great deal of time observing him. He’s a Great Horned Owl and he could spin his head around to look at us.

This was where the owl hung out most of the day. I’m looking out our bedroom sliding glass door.

Then something surprising happened. A battle of the raptors began with Harris Hawks appearing on a tree, then the fence.

The hawks moved from the tree to the fence. Five hawks strategically perched on the fence on both sides of the owl. The owl was surrounded. Talk about intimidation!

The owl gave up and flew away. Harris Hawks for the win.

I looked up owls and hawks and it turns out they are both fierce predators and don’t usually interact with each other. Let’s just say they don’t get along and they like the same prey.

Here are some links if you want to read more details about hawks and owls:

Hawks vs. Owls: A Face-Off Between Two Powerful Birds
https://www.wildbirdscoop.com/hawks-vs-owls.html

Hawk Vs. Owl: 15 Comparisons
https://birdchronicle.com/hawk-vs-owl/

Next time, I’d like to share better, clearer photos! I haven’t used my Nikon since we moved and it’s been tucked away in my closet. I’ll try taking photos with the camera versus my iphone and see which looks better.

So…the owl came back. I took photos with my Nikon and they are dramatically better! However, I’m not able to transfer them from my camera to my laptop or phone. The camera software is not compatible with either. Even after downloading new apps from Nikon, I couldn’t get it to work. I ordered a card reader which according to You Tubers is the easiest method. I’ll share the new photos soon!

This is a video of the last of the Harris Hawks flying off our neighbor’s chimney after they scared away the owl.

Which do you find more fascinating and why? Great Horned Owls or Harris Hawks?

Are you Team Owl or Team Hawk?