Eurasian Eagle Owl as a main photo …

… in case I don’t find it again (sorry about the quality but it was almost dark). After a wonderful morning’s ski with Wildmint and Josiane above Anzere (extra with the Mont Blanc Range in the background), Wildmint came down from Gryon to join me on the Eagle Owl quest! Thank goodness one was there as she has a much longer journey to do than I have. No hooting or flying tonight, it was just sitting there, sleeping! 

I finally found some information on their breeding habits from www.Animalia.bio. “ Eurasian eagle-owls are monogamous and often mate for life. Pairs usually engage in courtship rituals annually, most likely to reaffirm pair bonds. Calling for the purposes of courtship starts in January and February. During these courtship rituals, males tend to bow and hoot loudly. Courtship may involve bouts of "duetting", with the male sitting upright and the female bowing as she calls. There may also be mutual bowing, billing, and fondling. The male selects breeding sites and shows them to the female by flying to them and kneading out a small depression (if the soil is present) and making staccato notes and clucking noises. The female selects one breeding site. Eurasian eagle-owls do not build nests or add material but nest on the surface or material already present.”


Thanks for the many gifts for yesterday’s skiing in the sunburst photo. All this owl hunting is not giving me much time for commenting at the moment, apologies.