Through the branches

I don’t usually like posting such a poor photo of an owl, but I haven’t photographed this Great Horned Owl at Sikome, in Fish Creek Park, for ages – apart from once very recently. This photo was taken yesterday, 23 November 2014, when I went for part of a birding walk with friends. This pair of owls used to perch in a tall Spruce tree at the edge of the parking lot, for years. Their tree (or the next one to it?) was blown down in a storm, like so many of the trees down in that part of the park. Now they have moved and they are so much harder to see and photograph. The other adult was on a different branch, nearby.

“With its long, earlike tufts, intimidating yellow-eyed stare, and deep hooting voice, the Great Horned Owl is the quintessential owl of storybooks. This powerful predator can take down birds and mammals even larger than itself, but it also dines on daintier fare such as tiny scorpions, mice, and frogs. It’s one of the most common owls in North America, equally at home in deserts, wetlands, forests, grasslands, backyards, cities, and almost any other semi-open habitat between the Arctic and the tropics.” From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/great_horned_owl/id

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_horned_owl

I was lucky enough to get a quick sighting of the Long-tailed Weasel yesterday, too. Only managed to take a handful of shots and most didn’t come out well enough to post, but it was still nice to see this little animal in its beautiful white, winter coat. Also good to see a few friends down there as well.