You may recall me mentioning that we spotted a bobcat on our first evening at Riverwood. Except for the usual birds — mostly chickadees — that was the extent of our sightings until our penultimate day at the cottage.
While snowshoeing in the woods behind Pinefort Knoll, Cuppa caught a glimpse of something in the treetops — the owl in the photo — but I'll bet you devilishly clever, little bloggers figured that out already. I didn't have my camera or its zoom lens, but Cuppa got this picture with her little but rather wonderful camera. The owl sat there staring quizzically at us for a minute or so, periodically rotating his head — investigating sounds no doubt. In fact, he soon glided off in the direction that he appeared to be monitoring.
Although it's rather hard to estimate the size of an owl in the treetops, we agree that, to us, he seemed to be about two feet tall if we were to count his tail feathers, which only seems to make sense after all.
Life is perplexing. How does a solitary owl get out there in the woods? How the heck do they get together and mate when they seem to be so solitary? How and where do two two-foot owls have sex? How do they go about raising little hooters (so to speak)?
I'm not really keen enough to research owls right now. It gives me more pleasure to wonder about such questions.
A park near us has an "earth day" festival every year, and there is a booth that brings tame wild animals (ha, I love that) for everyone to see up close. I think most of them have been injured, and they cannot be released back into the wild.
ReplyDeleteFor the past couple of years, they have brought a great horned owl that sits so calmly on its perch, and up close, it was one of the most beautiful, breathtaking creatures I have ever seen.
As for the owl sex, I'm not sure... ;)
And how did you have the good fortune of stumbling upon a nocturnal creature during the day? It wasn't trying to make delivery was it?
ReplyDeleteI have always loved owls but have only ever spotted one in the wild, once. There is just something so mystical about them.
ReplyDeleteI have spent time filming owls on our canoe glides. They wait a long time to move or fly away, so you can get up real close. I had five of them in one shot once. When they flew off, they went with the most wonderful flopping wooosh.
ReplyDeleteI just showed your owl to Elcie. It has become my wallpaper. Thanks - I was looking for something new.
ReplyDeleteWe've had an influx of owls into the city the past couple of years. The huge white barn owls are beautiful. Sadly, they seem to be coming into town because they're starving to death, and then cars hit them.
ReplyDeletemy 3 yr. old swore to me today that those are called butterflies!
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