January 1, 2016

Friday Photos: Barred Owl

Wintry weather arrived Tuesday with a storm of sleet, snow, and freezing rain, leaving about an inch of icy surface on the ground. Grass, dirt and rocks peek through, allowing the mice and other small rodents to scurry around.

Wednesday early afternoon there was a quiet tap, tap on the window near my reading chair. A glance out revealed the chickadee, and I decided to take the odds that the bears are hibernating, and put up the bird feeders for the winter season. The chickadees found them immediately, and they spread the news quickly. Today alongside the large flock of chickadees, we also had blue jays, white breasted nuthatches, juncos, a titmouse, a downy woodpecker. A bit later in the day I saw this barred owl in a tree a few hundred feet away, the wind ruffling its feathers a bit. Owls sometimes visit bird feeders, especially in hard winters, hunting both small songbirds and the small rodents that visit bird feeders for the seed that falls to the ground.



10 comments:

  1. Wow! And you get to see such magnificent creatures from your house. Nice.

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    1. Indeed, it is one of the biggest pleasures of life here.

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  2. Beautiful photos. I remember well seeing my first Barred Owl at your place.

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    1. Thanks.The one I remember most seeing with you was high in a tree on Muddy, we found it because of falling objects.

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  3. Wonderful pictures. A winter consolation to have such visitors.

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    1. Thanks! They are so fun to have here. Wish I could keep the feeders up all year, but the bears don't let me. Happy New Year!

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  4. How beautiful the owl is! And your view of the birds sounds lovely. Both my mother and grandmother had sitting spots where they could look out at nearby feeders. So peaceful...

    (Happy New Year!)

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    1. Thanks ... glad to have you visit. Yes, they are so beautiful, and peaceful is an excellent word for it. Besides friends, the birds, foxes who hunt and play here, snapping turtles following their ancient mandates, returning each spring to lay their eggs, are the major experences that outweigh the dificulties of cold winters and long commutes and make me continue enjoying living here.

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  5. Great photo! We saw a big ole' Piliated Woodpecker, out the window, for brief seconds, in Otis last weekend, fabulous!

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    1. Thanks ... I would love! to see a pileated here, haven't been that lucky for several years.

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