O RLY? Owl be damned!

[tripperfunster]

Today me and the kidlets were outside feeding the horses and such, when there was an absolute COMMOTION by a bunch of crows, just across the way. Like ... a commotion like I'd never heard before. Ten to twenty crows cawing their effing heads off.

Now, like every other good Canadian girl, I've read a fair amount of Farley Mowat books, my favourite, "Owls in the Family." In that book (where a young boy befriends a couple of owls) he tells us that crows HATE owls, and freak out when the see them, calling to their friends, until a whole flock of crows have gathered, screaming and jeering at the owl so that he would go away.

So I sez to my kids, I sez; "Dollars to doughnuts, there's a owl over there." Sure enough we trudge through the snow a few hundred yards to a clump of trees, and there's a Great Horned owl with a ??? rat? Muskrat? clenched in it's talons, sitting way up in a pine tree.

Harrison ran home to get the camera, and by the time he returned the owl had moved on. We tracked him down again in another grouping of trees, and I manged to snap the SHITTIEST picture ever. I mean for realz, I've seen better photos of big foot, but you at least get the idea. ;)

Since he/she blends in so well, I've outlined it in red. It's facing away from the camera. Too bad too, since we had a full five minutes of face time with him while my son went back to the house.

I've always had a fascination with owls, and even have my name in for 'hosting' an injured baby or adult, should one show up. I've seen them 'up close' at nature shows and a bird show at Disney, but never so close with one in the wild. Very cool day for me indeed.





And here's what they actually look like, incase you were wondering. They're pretty big, almost two feet tall, and when he flew away it was totally silent. Awesome!

Comments

[droxy.livejournal.com]

i hear owls at night. I've seen them from distance on top of utility poles.

Very cool indeed.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

I've seen lots of hawks and even a couple of bald eagles, but nothing up this close. He was so gorgeous!

[demicus.livejournal.com]

Damn, that's cool! We see owls sitting in the big trees near the river once in a while. I've never managed to get a photo of one though. Thank goodness you mentioned that bigfoot's your owl's facing away from the camera in your photo. I was spending way too much time looking for the rat/Muskrat. LOL!

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Whatever it was holding was BIG! I've seen mice and voles around, but never rats! Of course, i don't have his vision either. ;)

[narryaworry.livejournal.com]

At my parent's house in the wild Minnesota suburbs there's a barn owl that hangs around and scares the shit out of the local pets. I swear it gets a kick out of it. Early at night people are just sitting out with their dogs and it will be in a tree watching when suddenly it lets loose the loudest hoot it can. Dogs scatter everywhere while it just sits there pleased and fluffy as can be. Everyone loves it though, that owl single handedly destroyed the wood pecker problem.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Well, I hope my chickens fare okay with him around, but I sure won't miss any mice!

[veridari.livejournal.com]

Soooo jealous. I would have loved to seen him/her. I see a lot of hawks and bald eagles in my territory but have yet to see an owl.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Oh, it was really thrilling! I've seen lots of hawkes and even a couple of bald eagles, but nothing up this close.

Well, except for this: http://tripperfunster.livejournal.com/131645.html#cutid1

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

cool owl. I pretty much like any bird that's not a pigeon.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

I love birds too. One day I will own an Emu. :D

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

where i used to live i had neighbors who had ostriches.

[drcjsnider.livejournal.com]

Very cool... although this made me LOL: I manged to snap the SHITTIEST picture ever. I mean for realz, I've seen better photos of big foot, but you at least get the idea.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Ha! but it's true! :D If it was a picture of anything suspect, I probably wouldn't believe it. ;D

[sra-danvers.livejournal.com]

Wow, impressive!!!