A few days ago I was driving along the impoundments at False Cape State Park. Out of the corner of my eye,I saw a funny looking bird plodding along the edge of the marsh. I began to flip through the rolodex of birds in my mind and those pesky inner-birder voices started up.
“Is it a Snipe? No, too tall. A Bittern? No, too drab, not the right body shape. A Sandpiper? Um, aren’t they grayish? Wait; do they even live in the marsh? Are they shorebirds?? No…I’ve seen them in the marsh before. I think.” And so it went this odd little conversation in my mind until I finally decided to just take a lot of pictures and hope that at least one turned out.
Well, wouldn’t you believe it, right then a big bird flew right out in front of me! It took a few minutes to register-but that big bird was an owl! I pulled my truck over, got out slowly, and had my camera poised, ready to snap a picture as soon as I located my owl. I scanned the lower branches of the pines and then I saw it,a Great Horned Owl, sitting pretty as a picture, looking at me and probably thinking “whooooo do you think you are?!”
Well, wouldn’t you believe it, right then a big bird flew right out in front of me! It took a few minutes to register-but that big bird was an owl! I pulled my truck over, got out slowly, and had my camera poised, ready to snap a picture as soon as I located my owl. I scanned the lower branches of the pines and then I saw it,a Great Horned Owl, sitting pretty as a picture, looking at me and probably thinking “whooooo do you think you are?!”
I got one picture and then silently and almost magically it flew away.
