Altamaha Owl

Also at Altamaha, was this nesting Great Horned Owl, on an Osprey platform! From a distance we could see the Osprey nesting platform had something on it. We asssumed it was an Osprey. Surprise! When we got closer we saw the two "horns" (really feathers) sticking up, and recognized it as a Great Horned Owl. I photographed ir from a distance with a telephoto lens.

Ospreys can build nests in trees, but are also attracted to platforms where they will build their nests. Great Horned Owls do not build their own nests, but reuse the nests of hawks and other large birds. The nesting material may be from last year's Osprey nest, or perhaps, Ospreys started to nest there this year and the Great Horned Owls took over the nest.