There is an area off of 95 South (exit 6) called the Dunes. A huge expanse of sand. Basically a huge litter box. This track was seen there, I'm going back with an animal camera and hopefully will capture a cougar!
This one can be crossed off the bucket list. For the longest time I wanted to see a real, wild owl. Not an owl that comes with a wildlife rehabilitator. Not an owl stuck in a zoo. An owl that can silently swoop in, gaze at me and silently melt away into the forbidden darkness. It finally happened a few nights ago.
Of course I was in my car. But it still counts! I was the only one on our street and I had my two youngest daughters with me. Nine times out of ten, that unusual figure sticking up from a branch is a broken limb or maybe even a piece of garbage caught by a snag. But this time, the large round head and two unmistakable black front-facing eyes told me that this was my first wild owl. I would have been ecstatic if it had looked at me for five seconds and flew off, but we were treated to some predatory action as well!
I know you really can't see the Barred Owl. But if you can zoom in on those points of light, you will see two eerie owl eyes staring at you. I did not know owls had reflective eyes.
I pulled safely to the side of the street and we all observed the owl looking a bit uncomfortable. Why didn't this predator fly off into the forest? It was spying its dinner. After a minute it swiftly landed on a mouse at the base of the tree and landed on a different branch a little deeper in the forest. After it swallowed its meal, it swooped down on the ground again, snatched something and blended into the dark.
A much better picture but I know... you really can't see the Barred Owl. But you can barely make out its eyes. Unless it's a Squatch. Now that would be spooky.
This was a Barred Owl, probably 15-18 inches tall. A huge predator. The cold, black, marble-like eyes were a feature that I would never forget. Hearing Barred Owls is always a treat as well. I have heard them numerous times, even at 3:30 in the afternoon. And just like coyote howls, the Barred Owl's call always sends a shiver down my spine. Click here to see if it does the same for you. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barred_Owl/sounds
Not my picture but at least my bucket list does not have, "Take a great photo of a wild Barred Owl".
Click the above video to hear and see a Barred Owl making its distinctive call.
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