From Dave Bowie
I was able to photograph this blue-gray gnatcatcher harassing a barred owl !!
The size difference is nuts! Also before reading the caption I thought it was a hummingbird lol
Wow, I looked them up and they are very tiny! I saw it said they weigh 5-7 grams. A sugar packet is 3-4 grams for comparison.
I guess you don't need to be big to catch a gnat.
True!
I did too.
The blue-gray gnatcatcher! He's killing the owl! Stop him!
I like how the owl just kinda acted like I do when I can't tell if I just got hit with a raindrop or not! 😄
I had a Carolina Wren couple make a nest on my porch this year, and this scene played out daily between the male and the Red-bellied Woodpecker that frequented the nearby birdfeeder. Dad didn't like him poking around, but he had to keep getting further and further away to charge in and bonk the woodpecker until it noticed his "attacks."
Sorry, you'll have to make references more clear, I'm wearing a towel.
Yeah Bart! I am too Crunchy the Clown!
Mr Gumble , this is a Girl Scout meeting...
They're heading for the old mill!
Dad, why did you bring me to a gay steel mill?
Is the poop deck really what i think it is?
mmm. elephant fresh
I could have sworn David Bowie died in 2016....
I knew someone would notice that!
We all know that his death was just a ruse so he could thwart Phantom Limb's coup attempt though....
do they really eat gnats and how much trouble would i get in for invasively releasing a swarm of them at the beginning of mosquito season
It sounds like they would enjoy the skeeters. Everything I looked up says they like small insects, insect eggs, and spiders.
I think this theory is worth trying out.
i'm just concerned this would be environmental terrorism or something. like that one lady and her stink flower down in the bay area
One man's eco terrorism is another man's eco liberation...
Just mix in an amount of local bird species in your avian army to throw them off the trail.
Maybe some bats, get patrols out 24/7. 🤔
oh it's a crime to fuck with the bats here. one crime at a time dude
Environmental terrorism against swarms of mosquitos . . . has been approved.
(Okay not really but heck if some skeetercatchers wanna shack up over here, I’m buyin’.)
so every time we'd go camping in the boy scouts, we'd catch a crane fly (we call em skeeter eaters or skeeter bombers out here) and let it loose in our tent after setting up. that way, if a mosquito got in, the skeeter eater would feast before the skeeter feasted on us. it was surprisingly effective. so like, maybe i should just get into breeding crane flies and no one will know
Genius. Do it!
It's not like barred owls eat gnats? Maybe the gnatcatcher's just jealous?
A Barred never turns down a free meal!
For owls that are superb.
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US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now
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If you find an injured owl:
Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.
Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.
Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.
If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.
For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.