Hoo You Lookin' At?
Three days ago, just as I was about to turn up from the logging road onto the driveway proper, this caught my eye. Leaping out of a red alder, and with a smaller, darkly plumed unidentified flying object in hot pursuit (smaller than a robin), the stealthy and normally nocturnal B-1 Bomber of the forest made its way across the logging road, left to right, and lighted in another alder, giving me time to furiously fumble for the 300VR and get it swapped out with the 28-55 before the next leg of the flight. Just as I stepped from the car, the bird flew from right to left, over the logging road/driveway junction and lighted in one of my doug firs. Perfect. We spent some time there, eyeball to eyeball, while the lens sucked in the beauty of this very rare opportunity, yet just one of many that remind me why I live where I do.
posted by Jacob @ 12:03 PM
18 Comments
18 Comments:
Be-ooo-tiful.
It looks like a barred owl. I heard one yesterday at Corkscrew Swamp, but never caught a glimpse. "Who cooks for you. Who cooks for you - all..."
Nice photo. Nice rich colors.
Beautiful owl. Thanks for sharing.
Now, where you been? What's with this one post per month crap? Do you know how much you've missed? I've been swimming with sea turtles and OC quit blogging, and .............
Hey, did you go out and get your own life? Who gave you permission to do that?!
What a beauty that owl is. I was also, admiring your tree. It brought back memories of a birch tree we used to have in Michigan before that blight or beetle festation destroyed it and many like it.
Nice to see you blogging again, although, we should cut you a wee bit of slack, it is summertime and you're allowed, eh?! I thought the owl was the one on the protective species list, the spotted owl but, what do I know, I'm more familiar with urban life than the out of doors. Thanks for the picture.
Beautiful owl! I love where you live. That is so cool.
SOMEWHERES JOES: You may be right. I think the Spotted Owl is just a little guy. I'm guessing the food preparation quip has something to do with what the barred owl's call sounds like? If you want to call in a Canada, you do a throaty, "Go look. Go look."
If the master approves, the student is delighted.
QUILLY: Wow. I guess I really HAVE missed a lot. You with toitles. OC outta the blogging industry. I'm not surprised about OC though, what with the housing market and the price of gas. (Wuh?)
I'm only here because I am now not working 90 hours of overtime for a minute. But that could change again. When doing so, I get a whole 90 minutes of relaxation before I have to hit the hay. Thanks for caring. It means a lot. Kissy-kiss!
BUTCHERINO: Yes, the alders do smack of aspen. When I first moved here, they fooled me. But being able to discern an alder from a cascara sagrata took a few years. I can do it now without blinking.
I'm going with Joe's barred owl theory.
Oh, CLAIRE: Yeah. Purty neat-o, huh? And I got more great shots of yard citters today, too. I may be back in the blogging saddle after all.
Ciao, Baby. G
Awesome pics, as usual! Got to keep the pics coming to make your adoring public happy, you know... :)
It's breast feathers appear to be marked with vertical 'bars.' The dusky face is typical too. They've been expanding westward for years, and now threaten, being superior hunters, their native spotted little cousins.
I'm amazed that you, and your VR, were able to pick out the owl amid all the foliage and get such good focus. I don't see much noise... are you using auto ISO now?
Barred Owl it is. I couldn't tell how large the beauty was and knowing that the Spotted-owl is very small was lost on me by looking at your picture without a huge yard stick in your tree. ;-)
Hey, that's an idea, now if you can train those creatures to land near it, we ... would... OK, I'll go sit down now... ;-)
OK, I'll leave you with an old joke.
Q.Have you ever smelled moth-balls?
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A. How did you ever get their wee legs apart?
wow, it is all the more amazing that you caught it all in the daylight!
What a shot, Gawpo! Brilliant! I can see why you love living where you live. :)
BWOOKIE: And now YOU will be posting pics from your true home, now that you are back with us in Oregonia.
SOMEWHERE JEAUX: Yes. Auto ISO. It's a bit frustrating, though, since I am only able to figure out how to use the European version---ISO-metric.
(Oh crap, that was a good one. I autocrack myself the only way I know how---up.)
But yes, just putting it on "P" and letting 'er ride. I really need to learn how to use the camera. There are times when I know that I could be manipulating aperture and speed, but such simple basics are yet to be mastered. Sigh...
Wait til you see what I snapped in the trees on my out this morning.
BUTCH: Two times, sorry to say, you had to take your seat! Pretty funny stuff. I love your play. It's good for my face. Corners of mouth even with bottom of nose. You're a good yukker.
LIMERS: Yeah, in daylight. Can ya believe it? I wondered why, but then figured it out lying awake at 3am----he must have been....drum roll....a DAY OWL.
(Oh, GAWD!!! Pounding the floor this time!!!)
SCARLETA: I still can't get into your blog. Please send another link. Puh-LEEEEEZE????
Hugs, G
Gawpo, Gawpo, brother where art thou?
You can pop in anytime: http://scarlet1216.blogspot.com.
I miss your wit and humor. ;) It's been too long.
Sweet! I wish we had a few of those around here. It would really help with the gopher problem. We've tried to attract them with owl boxes, but nothing so far.
How exciting! We never see anything more than a finch or dove. I'd be grabbing for the camera too if I saw an owl and no doubt I'd make whoo whoo sounds. I can just hear it laughing back at me. Great eye Sky King!
FABULOUS talking with you my friend, I hope one day it's actually face to face!
XOXOXO
SCARLETA: So que pah-SEW? You are now open to all and I do love that. Now I can finally get some sleep. Ahhhh....
DIESEL: Are you sure those aren't bat boxes you've put up? Can't be too careful. Talked to the 'rents last night and I hear you are enjoying some cool 90s. Double nickles right now at 9am. Didn't dip below 50. Finally, some summer temps.
LEEEEESUH OCEANDREAMUH!: Twas good indeed to get caught up over phoneage. See you at your typepad. XOXOXOOOO, G
beautiful....
Lovely owl shots!! And rimshots a-plenty in the comments section.
Wokka wokka wokka...
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