Saturday, January 29, 2011

Owling

My sister and I went on our annual bird watching trip today and guess what we saw?


A Great Horned Owl!

The picture above was taken at 3pm this afternoon at the San Luis Wildlife Refuge. The owl was perched calmly on a post, perfectly happy to let me take several snapshots of him through the car window.

It was the best birding day ever.

I've been looking for Great Horned Owls at the refuge for the last few years because I read that others have seen them there, but I never had any luck. Today it was the last thing on my mind, especially in the middle of the afternoon, and there he was.



( source )


Apparently low expectations and a careless attitude are key to seeing great birds. We had just gotten started when a Greater Roadrunner darted across the road. Oh my goodness! Another bird we'd been hoping to see the last few years.


We stopped in at Mercey Hot Springs to visit the wintering Long-eared Owls, which we see every year. Today there were three or four of them roosting in a tree. Like the Great Horned Owl, they weren't at all camera shy.






Plenty of egrets out and about today, too.


And since this is a knitting blog, I have to include a photo of the lovely wool sheep we saw grazing in the grasslands.

15 comments:

Lupie said...

What a great trip! I'm a bird lover and the pictures are beautiful.

Linda said...

How lovely Stacy! I adore owls! How beautiful he is. We once had an Eagle Owl sitting on the wall in our back garden, he was so wonderful:)
Happy Sunday,
xo
Linda

Theresa said...

Oh what a nice day for bird watching! Love the owl pictures and a real live roadrunner...wow!

Looks like you had a fun day with your Sister! Nice tradition!

Have a blessed Sunday! HUGS!

Tracey ~ Clover said...

Love the pictures. I have an owl that lives on my property along with two bald eagles. I have been wanting to get sheep and seeing you picture has motivated me to browse the ag-ad's. Have a great Sunday.

Rachel said...

Beep beep! (Couldn't resist)

Great bird pics, but I'm rather partial to the sheep. They're much cuter :)

Sounds like a lovely day!

Dogwood said...

Fun, fun and more fun!
What a fabulous day for you.
Wonderful photos.
I went to the Wild Bird Seed store in GV yesterday for their 30 year anniversay party and along with cake they had people from the bird rescue place with an owl, hawk and sparrow. So exciting.

Have a fun day.
Rained last night in GV.
Did you get some rain in SJ?
Teresa got snow.

*❀* said...

oh wow.. these pics are amazing! stacy.
i do love owls ❤

wishing you a lovely first week of february

warmest hugs

millie

Kitty said...

Lovely photos! It sounds like you had a great day!

Suz said...

Oh you got my heart a pumpin!
I love owls...still waiting for my long earred owls to return...hummm..guess they're by you....
I saw a Great horned take off at dusk theother day from tree to tree..silent..it was awesome...I am so jealous...really..wish we could bird together...I saw wild turkeys this weekend..big deal, I know
The book I am reading is "The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane" by Katherine Howe.....sort of a Salem Witch story..I'm enjoying it

GARAGE SALE GAL said...

What a great day you had and Love seeing those owl photos!
Warmly,
deb

Thimbleanna said...

Hahaha -- all that wool right out there in the wild! You. Lucky. Duck! I've always wanted to see an owl out in the wild, but never had any luck. I love the children's story Owl Moon, and whenever there's a full moon, I always think maybe I'll see an owl, but it never ever happens. Aren't you glad you have this blog? Now you'll always remember it -- how exciting!!!!

Ronna said...

I love, love, love the owl photos. Wow, what a birding trip! Wish I was there!!

Maiden Jane said...

What a great day for you! Love the photos. Owls are really amazing birds. We miss our friendly little Saw Whet!

PunkiePie (Jen) said...

What beauties!

Susan Gallacher-Turner said...

Beautiful nature photos....I love the one with the egret in flight!