Superb Owl Sunday

by Bryan

6 comments

1 hipparchia { 02.23.23 at 7:51 pm }

why not indeed.

i don’t know my owls very well, but that one sure looks like the very large owl that swooped down over my car a while back, as i was driving down the road. i was sure it was going to come right through the windshield and bury its talons in my face.

fortunately it didn’t, so it was a superb owl indeed.

2 Bryan { 02.28.23 at 9:45 pm }

That’s a brown screech owl (they also come in grey) and, yes, they can hurt if they attack you. We have a lot of raptors, both large and small in the area. There are bald eagles and ospreys on the West end of Santa Rosa Island, and I have seen golden eagles in this area.

3 hipparchia { 03.16.23 at 10:08 pm }

owls are way cool, but i hardly ever see one, so they’re kind of mythical creatures; coming that close to one was something else.

ospreys and pelicans have really been the only birds i’ve kept a closer eye on over the years, and both have made a good comeback.

my new favorite birds in recent years are the great blue herons, especially the ones that hang around the docks where people like to fish. i always get a kick out of the people who toss a fish or two to waiting heron(s).

4 Bryan { 03.18.23 at 8:39 pm }

The problem with herons is they eat fish, including expensive koi in a water garden beside your house even with motion detection sprinklers on guard.

5 hipparchia { 03.20.23 at 8:14 pm }

i have friends who claim they don’t have koi ponds, they have great blue heron feeding stations.

i used to feel kind of bad about that but then i saw a video on the internet of a great blue heron stalking through a field gobbling up mice, or rates, or voles, or some kind of ground-dwelling critter. i was living in an old, somewhat run-down house with a slumlord landlord, so various urban wildlife forms were always inviting themselves in and i have to admit wishing i could invite a few herons to come live with me.

6 Bryan { 03.25.23 at 7:27 pm }

Oh, yes, they will eat anything that is small enough to be swallowed, but show a preference for fish and frogs.

Now you have the kittie corp acting as dry land herons, who prefer their fish from cans. 🙂