Category Archives: Photo Contest

Great Horned Owl © John Harrison

Take 5: Great Horned Owlets

Great Horned Owls are one of the earliest birds to breed in Massachusetts, with courtship beginning as early as December. They are not cavity nesters, but use old Red-tailed Hawk or Great Blue Heron nests, often at the top of dead tree snags. With a little luck, you may be able to spot the still-downy heads of fledglings sticking up over the edges of these large nests.

Around six weeks of age, baby Great Horned Owls begin to venture out of the nest onto nearby branches, a behavior called (appropriately) “branching.” Because their wings are not yet fully developed, they use their talons to grip branches and move around.

After another week or so, their wings and confidence have strengthened enough to try out a few awkward test flights, but they usually bungle it more often than they succeed in the beginning. This can lead to some comical situations with confused, panicky youngsters finding themselves hanging upside down from tree branches or even on the ground, sharply clacking their bills and wearing a bewildered expression. Appearances to the contrary, they are perfectly fine and will return to the safety of their nests after a brief period of recovery.

So if you come across a fluffy fledgling looking a bit disgruntled on the ground, there’s no need to worry—the parents are almost certainly nearby keeping a watchful, stoic eye while their little ones blunder their way through adolescence. Keep a respectful distance to ensure you don’t inadvertently cause them further stress, and enjoy a quiet chuckle of commiseration—after all, who hasn’t been through an awkward growth spurt or two?

Enjoy these five photos of Great Horned Owlets from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest. The 2021 contest will be opening in early June, so get your cameras ready and get outdoors!

Great Horned Owl © Jason Goldstein
Great Horned Owl © Jason Goldstein
Great Horned Owl © John Harrison
Great Horned Owl © John Harrison
Great Horned Owls © Rick Olick
Great Horned Owls © Rick Olick
Great Horned Owls © Jim Renault
Great Horned Owls © Jim Renault
Great Horned Owl © Scott Creamer
Great Horned Owl © Scott Creamer
Fireflies and Star Trails, Winner: Landscapes, under 18 © Will Draxler

Take 6: 2020 Photo Contest Winners, Under 18

With the passing of each year, we all grow a little older (though perhaps a bit more grateful than usual to be leaving this particular year behind). But the entrants to the Under 18 bracket of our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest stay “forever young,” so how is it that their submissions keep getting better every year?

We were blown away once again by this year’s slate of young photographers and their creative compositions. Here are the winners from each of the six categories: Birds, Mammals, Other Wildlife, Plants & Fungi, Landscapes, and People in Nature.

See these, the 18 and Over winners, and some terrific honorable mentions on the photo contest homepage, as well as the winners from past years.

Common Tern, Winner: Birds, under 18 © Kieran Barlow
Common Tern, Winner: Birds, under 18 © Kieran Barlow
Fireflies and Star Trails, Winner: Landscapes, under 18 © Will Draxler
Fireflies and Star Trails, Winner: Landscapes, under 18 © Will Draxler
Eastern Cottontail, Winner: Mammals, 18 and over © Christy Bomer-Norton
Eastern Cottontail, Winner: Mammals, 18 and over © Christy Bomer-Norton
Grasshopper, Winner: Other Wildlife, Under 18 © Deyan Kassev
Grasshopper, Winner: Other Wildlife, Under 18 © Deyan Kassev
Winner: People in Nature, Under 18 © Siya Gunda
Winner: People in Nature, Under 18 © Siya Gunda
Pickleweed, Winner: Plants & Fungi, Under 18 © Alexander Knight
Pickleweed, Winner: Plants & Fungi, Under 18 © Alexander Knight