Barred Owl

Lower Valley Road, Beaver Valley #barredowl this beautiful bird caught my eye while I was driving to work. It was hunting in the ditch, I slowed down for a few window photos and continued on, he didn’t even give me a glance, he was all about breakfast.

Snowy Owl – Barbed Wire Fence

We had freezing rain along the Escarpment on Sunday, leaving the upper elevations coated in ice and snow.  I happened across this beautiful scene, loving the way the barbed wire curled around the fence post to the key subject.  One of my favourite owl photos.Snowy Owl - barbed fence

Snowy Owl “rest station”

This beautiful bird had a long flight and found this stump and didn’t want to move, to the delight of several photographers who walked right up to her and took a photo or two or three or…. well you get the idea.  The ditch under the stump had an abundance of mole tunnels making for good snacks for this migrating owl, how long it will stay to rest remains a mystery, some move on and others seem happy to stay.

snowy owl rest station

Snowy Owl

This bird seems to be contemplating … how many mice are enough or I wonder if I should have my own Facebook following?  This is likely the most photographed of the owls.

snowy owl contemplating

Snowy Owl Hunting

This Snowy Owl is checking out a dead mouse that my cat killed, then the feed truck drove over in my barn yard.  Just look at the way it’s looking a the dead mouse, couldn’t fool this bird. They were right, she/he didn’t fall for it. Up until now all the birds I have photographed are after rodents that populate the country side.   I do have a photo of a bird coming in for a mouse that was set out as owl food from a few days ago, I happened by a fellow who carefully feeds the birds not unlike having a bird feeder in your yard.  It doesn’t do the owls any harm and likely helps them survive the winter.  Owls eat colonies of rodents, when there aren’t any left, they move on … feeding owls is like providing a colony of mice, when they are gone, the owls will move on no worse for wear and in better condition.  I however feel kinda bad for the mice and personally I can’t bring myself to do it.  Note: because I am so independently minded, I don’t believe everything I hear … so I have put a lot of time and research into the feeding of owls, and I am satisfied after watching the practice for four years that no owls have been harmed, and I believe many owls have benefited from being fed.

snowy owl hunting

 

the dead mouse in the snow bank below (more…)