With a wink and a smile

Last Saturday, 16 February 2013, several of us spent the morning with owl-bander, Richard Chamberland, who was down in Calgary and had invited us to join him to go and look for a particular Northern Hawk Owl SW of the city and to then see if we could find a Snowy Owl to band. There was no sign of the Hawk Owl and we only had time to find one Snowy, which unfortunately was way across a field and didn't come close enough. Richard had to be elsewhere at noon, but three friends and I continued to drive the backroads east of the city, finding this beautiful female. She had such dark markings - couldn't have been more beautiful. This is the same owl I posted two days ago. That photo was taken when she had flown to a very tall, wooden pole at the edge of the road. An overcast day, so not the best light. Thanks for this opportunity, everyone!