Whoooo Gives A Hoot? Who Cooks For You?

 

Barred Owl

 

If you were walking in the woods could you see me in my camouflage?

I think you would have to look very, very carefully .

It might even take a prayer.

These photos were taken with a 170-500 zoom lens.

My dear friend Lisa told me that she prayed I would find some owls.

And I did. Thank you Lisa for praying and thank you God for answering that prayer, and mine too. :)

 

 

Why Hello There..........

You got me on a good day so feel free to snap away.

This Barred Owl didn't seem to mind my being there as long as I was quiet and respectful.

That I was, and I was in "Awe" of this Beautiful Owl and I think it was a little curious of me as well.

At times it seemed like it was posing for me.  Just maybe , God whispered in his ear that he was to be a Blessing

and an answer to someone's prayer that day.

 

 

I was so thrilled to have found this owl.

After taking a few shots the sun started to come around and I had to contend with the shadows

from the branches , so I said thank you very much Mr. Owl and decided to move on and leave him in peace.

We drove to another part of the park and walked around a bit and took a few other photos.

We then decided to head for home and as we drove out of the park , I decided to go back and drive around

the park one more time, and I am so glad I did. As we drove very slowly something caught my eye.

Yes! It was another Barred Owl. He was out in the open and the afternoon sun was shining on  him.

So out I go again , and here are a few pictures of owl # two.

 

Oh , hello there and whooo might you be?

 

 

This owl had his back to me and turned his head  right around.

There are times I wish I had that kind of flexibility in my neck.

Just totally "Amazing"

 

 

Well its time to go. No warning and I just wasn't quick enough but this is what I got.

 

 

Wow! Isn't he Beautiful.

Hope you enjoyed these photos. That is how I spent my day last Sunday afternoon.

It was a dream come true as owls are on my wish list of things to capture through my lens.

Hope you all are having a good week whatever you do or don't do.

I have added a video from You Tube as well showing these "Magnificent Birds"

Also some information of interest on Barred Owls.

Enjoy!

Until next time.

Dianne (dsphotocats) :)

 

YouTube - BARRED OWL AMAZING VOCALS!
     

 

 Whoooo is this owl with such a strange name? Let's find out. Look closely at the feathers, you'll see horizontal bars around the neck and vertical streaking on the body. This owl also has large horizontal bars or bands on the tail which you may see in flight against its gray feathered background. This is how the owl got it's name, "bar--ed" owl. It stands about 21 inches tall, has a bulky head and neck with dark eyes and no ear tufts. Barred owls live in most of North America in wet woodlands, wooded swamps, and floodplains in the cavities of snags (old dead trees). These owls are usually long-time residents of the same snag, with an address 80 feet in the air and a 20 inch doorway.

Barred owls have an easy call to identify. Listen for a hoot that sounds like someone saying, "Who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all?" You may hear the whole phrase or only a part. If you hear a cat-like scream or a barking sound, check it out, it may be a barred owl nearby. In February and March keep especially alert for these owls, they're courting and going wild, making all kinds of noises to impress a potential mate. These owls may also be spotted in the daytime being mobbed and teased by a flock of scolding birds.

From dusk to the predawn hours, owls hunt for prey, waiting from their tree snag to hear or spot an unsuspecting mouse, snake, frog, or bird. Their eyes are their best secret weapon, large and able to bring in lots of light to see in the darkness. Barred owl ears, like other owls, are long slits on the side of the face. The owl's keen senses allow it to quickly navigate through low branches and forest treetops and zero in on its prey. It swoops down with four-foot long stealth wings, captures, and squeezes its prey with sharp talons. Then it flies back to its lair for dinner. The owl's sharp beak makes a great knife and fork to rip the meat apart. If the prey is small enough, it gets eaten in one single gulp, bones and all. About every 6 hours the owl will spit up a "pellet," a 1-2 inch hairball with bones and skulls in it, things the bird's stomach can't digest. Sometimes you'll find the mate the base of the nesting tree along with a few gray feathers.