Barred Owl Encounter February 26, 2008
Posted by Jennifer Schlick in birds, winter.trackback
I did not take this picture. I don’t have a picture of a Barred Owl, though I was close enough tonight to get one even with my kit lens… (except that it was dark… and I didn’t have my camera.) Well… “dark” is a relative term. The woods where I walk never gets truly dark, especially in winter. The orange-pink lights of the city reflect off the clouds, which bounce light back onto the snow… I can walk all the way around the path without a flashlight and see perfectly fine…
This picture was taken by Casey Tucker of Audubon Ohio when he was visiting Arkansas. I’m borrowing it because the background makes it look like a snowy day… And that’s what we had today! (I was in a school for less than 6 hours and had to brush 4 inches of thick, heavy snow off my car.)
Anyway, after supper I walked into the woods and there sat an owl… I watched him for several minutes before going on to my Sit Spot. I tried to inch closer, but I must have spooked him… It was awesome to see him fly absolutely soundlessly to a slightly more distant tree.
On my way out of the woods, he was back on a closer tree. I stood and watched him again for several minutes. Slowly I crept closer to the tree in which he perched. He let me get right under him before flying off.
It wasn’t quite as exciting has holding an owl… But it was pretty special!
Wasn’t that snow heavy? How wonderful to have found this Barred Owl and then to see it again once you left! They are such an interesting bird and just maybe it’s writing about you in it’s Sit Spot “Human in my spot” Post?
seeing owls is wonderful, and their silent flight is very strange, it’s almost like being struck deaf as they swoop by
Very cool! I’d love to see a Barred Owl. Or any owl for that matter
If you’re game Jennifer, I tag you for the 6-word-memoir meme – see http://adampaul.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/six-word-memoir-meme/
Hey Jennifer, that’s neat you got see the Barred Owl so close. I’ve had them perched close to me in the dark (when I’m out on the deer stand), but never had the opportunity to see one.
How wonderful to find the owl in the woods! I bet you were speechless. It would be so neat to see them fly and not hear a thing!
Beautiful photo! An encounter with a barred owl is indeed special. It never ceases to thrill me. http://www.oregonconservatory.org/eleanor