Year of the Owl (#235-236)

I've been holding off on this post for a while, but I think it's finally time to post. I hit the trails (I'm intentionally being a little vague here...) a few weeks ago on my birthday, hoping for another birthday lifer (remember last year?) This was probably a little optimistic but it was still a beautiful walk. The woods were feeling particularly magical with beautiful snow falling (and there ended up being a pretty major snowstorm that night). 

There were lots of deer and even a not-so-wild turkey that approached. I seriously thought I was going to have to run....

Someone has created a sweet little memorial with bird and deer feeders and beautiful little handmade wind catchers and a sign. I don't know if Deer George was a dude or a deer, but I thought that that is a very nice way to be remembered. 

Very keen nuthatch--normally they are a little more shy than this, but this one kept coming back again and again!

I did go back on the weekend as I was on a mission. While walking the trail, this white mass passed right overhead--I swear, I wouldn't have seen or heard it if I hadn't been looking in the right direction.  Some people farther down the trail spotted it where it had landed. We continued on for a 1-2 hour hike and when we came back, it was still sitting in the exact same spot, not giving a hoot (ha) about its onlookers (including several ankle biters located directly underneath it). 

#235: Barred Owl

heart-shaped face---love

orange feeders on the trail

There has been quite a bit of hubbub around here about even more owls. I finally spotted this one with some tips from a few birders. It was best the first time I saw it--when there was nobody else there. Now the area is getting pretty ridiculous in the same way Green's Creek is.

I adore this owl--it is quite tiny but very intense looking. He cocks his head to try and figure you out and rolls his head around on his neck and it's quite hilarious to watch.

#236: Northern Hawk Owl

It looks pretty aggressive in this next shot but it was actually just stretching its wings...slowly one wing came all the way down and then they both went up and it settled back down...moving in much the way a hobbit does.

need to fix the colour on these..I don't know what the heck happened

And finally, another wildlife sighting, something a little different, not too far from home. Spotted this coywolf/coydog (the jury is still out) in a farm field beside Eagleson and very close to home. Looks healthy anyway...