This is my last opportunity to find owls before heading down south – I’ll be looking for hummingbirds next. This day Kim drove so picked me up around noon or 1:00. I’d been looking at maps and messaging people all morning trying to figure out where we were when our buddy Richard told us that there were owls in these here trees. We didn’t see any that day though. I didn’t pin it on a map or anything – my bad, I should have done that. But I did remember some landmarks so… well, you know that Google Maps is your friend right?
We drove around quite a lot looking for our location but finally found it. We also ran into a family of about 15 or so cutting their Christmas Trees and another birder waiting for the owls to wake up and start hunting.
Have I mentioned that Kim and I are not the most patient of people? Not the best personality trait to be lacking if you are a photographer. But we do seem to have a bit of luck and this was another one of those lucky days. Just as we thought we would give it another 1/2 hours who pops out of a tree and lands on a fence post? You guessed it!!
Now these owls are so amazing hunters. They can hear a mouse up to 19″ under the snow and as far away as 50 feet. He was fun to watch hunting. I have made a separate post here that shows him hunting and his reaction to us afterwards.
Take a look at his feathers! They would make a gorgeous shirt pattern.
He’s heard something under the snow!!!
See the HUNT here.
He decided to grace us with a picture in a tree. Can you imaging having him as an ornament in your tree? Ha, I read something today about a family in the US who found an owl in their Christmas tree. It really scared their poor little girl who discovered it looking at her from inside the tree. Poor little owl too, apparently he was very thirsty and half starved. The family called a bird rescue unit in their area and the owl was rehabilitated back into his natural environment.
So, we headed home after about 250 quick snaps and just so you know that we are more than just owl people….
One more owl post to go! The Owl Hunt – Interrupted
That really was a most successful day!!