The Neighborhood Owl

One Sunday morning in mid-September my phone rang unexpectedly.  It was my neighbor Cheri.  "There's an owl in the park.  Get your camera and get over here!"

You found me!

Cheri had found a Barred owl roosted on a low-hanging tree branch in our neighborhood park.  I tore through the house, grabbing my camera and putting on a zoom lens before hustling out of the house and down the street.

Checking us out

I was afraid I'd get there too late, but upon arriving at the park, I was amazed to discover the owl still perched on a branch right above a main trail with no intention of going anywhere.  It sat and preened it's feathers for a few minutes before closing it's eyes and settling into a nap.

Naptime

Sadly the dark forest of the park didn't provide very good light for this most fortunate wildlife sighting.  But when one discovers an owl in such close range, you do the best that you can.  

"Hey, you woke me up!"

Hoping to hear the owl screech, Cheri had her phone play a Barred owl's call.  It worked like a charm.  The owl opened his eyes wide, looked around, and then parted his beak for an answer. 

The same owl on a different day in better light

A couple of weeks later, Cheri again spotted the owl, this time in a stand of trees several blocks away.  She was tipped off to the owl's presence by a flock of screeching jays - apparently these birds do not like an owl invading their territory.  This time we had much better light, and after following the owl through the trees, it perched right next to the road, and we got our money shots. 

Posing pretty

Cheri saw the owl one final time a week later, while walking her dogs in the park, when it flew right over her head.  I joked that the owl liked her!  

Now every time I take a walk through my neighborhood I'm on the lookout for our feathered friend.  Hopefully I'll see him once again.