An anti-Semitic, Islamophobic bird; owl did that happen?
My own favourite owl story: walking through the woods with my collie/corgie terriorist one evening, a bloody huge owl flew out from the trees to my right, straight across the track not six-feet in front of me, and vanished into the trees to my left.
All of this in absolute silence; not a wing-flutter nor a disturbed leaf. The effect was heightened by the moonlight giving the owl an almost ghostly glow. It’s hardly surprising that so many woods and forests are reputed to be haunted, what with sights like the above and the unearthly screams and screeches made by the nocturnal residents.
Nice!
Thanks, Ophelia.
I’ll see you a baby elephant… and I’ll raise you an owl. Um, a bunch of owls…
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/02/superb-owl-sunday-ii/552272/
Helene #3
Thank you, too.
Those photos are beyond magnificent.
Thank you, Ophelia, what a cute elephant and a happy ending (his original owner should be barred from ever owning another animal).
And Helene – thank you for a superb owl photo collection!
Owls! I followed that link – I’m sure my blood sugar jumped from all the sweet feelings. (I know, owls are major predators, but still…cute faces).
The ownl photo that particularly caught my eye was the # 2: “A snowy owl makes a turn in flight on a winter evening.” Its body and wings are almost vertical but its head is perfectly horizontal. Many birds have this ability but owls more than most. Here’s an explanation: https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2013/02/06/how-owls-twist-their-heads-almost-360-degrees/
Iknklast, here in NZ we have a native owl, seldom seen, called the Morepork. It literally calls “More Pork”. That’s an owl to love.
An anti-Semitic, Islamophobic bird; owl did that happen?
My own favourite owl story: walking through the woods with my collie/corgie terriorist one evening, a bloody huge owl flew out from the trees to my right, straight across the track not six-feet in front of me, and vanished into the trees to my left.
All of this in absolute silence; not a wing-flutter nor a disturbed leaf. The effect was heightened by the moonlight giving the owl an almost ghostly glow. It’s hardly surprising that so many woods and forests are reputed to be haunted, what with sights like the above and the unearthly screams and screeches made by the nocturnal residents.
I think I’ve seen an explanation on some nature program of how it is that owls can glide so silently. I don’t remember what the explanation is though.
Y’all remember the snowy owl caught on the traffic camera right?
Female snowy owl (speckled plumage). Highway #40, Montreal’s West Island, around Kirkland. No cars? Maybe dawn, Sunday morning after a snowfall.