Friday's mid-day, steaming hot walk with Bear was surprisingly productive in a critter/bird sort of way. I had my camera with me, but we move a lot when Bear and I "walk" so pictures are hard to get. Even so, we spooked all manner of beasts.
I decided to head back to the house after practically tripping over a young indigo snake while walking Bear and missing the two swallow-tail kites that hovered over the house. I turned Bear back through the shady palm hammock, intending to drop him off in the airconditioned comfort of PFHQ, while I took a slower quieter walk around for pics.
As soon as we stepped under the cool palm and oak canopy of the glade, an owl swooped overhead and landed on a well lit branch.
Maybe if I ran Bear back to the house, he would still be there for a picture.
We ran.
I returned.
The owl was gone.
I looked around, scanned the trees, but no sign of him.
I am used to this, so no big deal ... I will just go poke around the palmettos in case that indigo did not travel far.
At the palmetto clump, I looked up and ...
I decided to head back to the house after practically tripping over a young indigo snake while walking Bear and missing the two swallow-tail kites that hovered over the house. I turned Bear back through the shady palm hammock, intending to drop him off in the airconditioned comfort of PFHQ, while I took a slower quieter walk around for pics.
As soon as we stepped under the cool palm and oak canopy of the glade, an owl swooped overhead and landed on a well lit branch.
Maybe if I ran Bear back to the house, he would still be there for a picture.
We ran.
I returned.
The owl was gone.
I looked around, scanned the trees, but no sign of him.
I am used to this, so no big deal ... I will just go poke around the palmettos in case that indigo did not travel far.
At the palmetto clump, I looked up and ...
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| There he was! Plus, he wasn't alone. Sweet. With my PFHQ barred owls, I find I can get really close to them if I avert my eyes and ooooze over slowly towards their perch. Often, I can get directly beneath them and this was one of those days. |
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| I love owl expressions. "How DARE you?" always comes to mind. |
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| There is a video of these two, but it doesn't contain a whole lot more movement than this photo... ... just a lot of staring, glaring, and panting in the cicadacacaphonic heat. |
13 comments:
You're so lucky you can get close to your owls. Love the expressions!
Major stink eye!
Jealous, jealous, jealous of your owls! I get the same kind of fishy-eyed start from my lady violet-green swallow tenant.
It always makes me think of the Caterpillar in "Alice in Wonderland"..."Whooo are Youuu?".
Great! We don't get to see owls very often! I don't know if I said anything yet but I like you new blog look!!
Great shots, especially the two closer ones. Even if you were using a long lens, I'm surprised they let you get that close.
Good eye. I was reviewing some old video in a cypress slough and discovered an owl in the footage that I missed out in the field. They are like that.
Love the PF owls, thanks for sharing them! We used to have owls that ate up our skunks (great horned) but haven't seen them in years.
Nice! I hear but rarely see these guys.
Hey Owlfans,
I have since seen these owls every day on the same shady limbs over a plastic mini-pond I installed in the woods a few years ago as a watering hole for critters.
I think they are staking it out for prey. In this drought, it is probably a busy place.
How do you get water to that plastic mini-pond? Or do you let it fill naturally with rain? Oh wait. Drought. Right.
Love your owls, FC. They do have that "How dare you" look. Such expressive little critters, and a little bit condescending.
Mmm, I love barred owls, served neat in the heat.
Miz S,
Long hose as needed.
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