Just below our backyard there are some great big cottonwood trees.
Guess who we discovered in them?
The Great Horned Owls.
I think they look like Mister & Missus.
Aren't they sweet together?
Close-up of Mister Great Horned
And one of the Missus
Who-oo are you-ooo?
Even though these owls are considered "eared," those tufts on their heads are not ears, but feathers that look like ears to you and me. Check out the hooting here. We've been hearing them a lot at night and when Hazel Peach hears them and says "Howl (owl). Hoo Hoo! Let's go!" This means let's go find the owl, and she heads out traipsing through the tall grass to look for them.
Oh my oh my! Look at these beauties. Love seeing these!!
ReplyDeleteOh My Gosh!!!! How cool is that! When I was a little girl my grama used to say, when I was being cranky or out of sorts that I was "feeling owly" I have often said this to my husband and kids, but have never heard anyone else use the phrase!! How blessed are you to have them living there!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Sue
I've never heard the phrase "feeling owly," but I do love your owls. They look a little irritated, though. Maybe they were napping?
ReplyDeletexofrances
I say that at school, "Feeling a bit owly today?" Ha ha! They are gorgeous, Jody! They remind me of Beverly Cleary's Ramona. They were making paper bag owls and Ramona squashed Susan's owl. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen an owl in a tree before, ever. This is really something. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat owl pictures! I love that little Hazel Peach has already met them first hand and considers them friends. Reminds me of Owl Moon.
ReplyDeleteFun fun! They are beautiful! Mike told me he heard some the other morning (he gets up crazy early). They are the most interesting birds...so beautiful, but yet so esophagially disturbing.
ReplyDeleteOhMyGosh!!! This is FANTASTIC Jody! I'd be in HOG heaven if I had owls in my yard -- I don't think I've ever even seen one "in the wild". How lucky you are. Have you ever read Owl Moon? It was one of our favorite stories when the boys were growing up -- I'll bet little Hazel Peach would love it!
ReplyDelete"Feeling Owly?" is a phrase that I was brought up on which meant that the "owly" one was cranky or in a bad mood.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've read Owl Moon to the kids back when they were littles. I'll have to find the book for HP. She'd love it.
Jody
These are sooo cool! The only time I have seen a real owl is at the library when they bring in the birds of prey to show off. I would love to see this in my tree too! Great shot!
ReplyDeleteWOW! I would dream of seeing owls like that so close in the wild. So happy to have come across your Blog today. They are totally gorgeous. Hugs, Catherine x
ReplyDeleteWow, these are amazing. I'd love to see them up close like that. Lucky you! You need a collage of pictures of the wildlife you have around there.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thankful for this post and the link. We have been hearing the same high pitched screech at night and didn't know what it was...until now! Love the pictures!
ReplyDeleteLovely shots Jody, do you have to zoom in quite a bit or do you have a good view with the naked eye as well.
ReplyDeleteDo you know the story " The owl who was afraid of the dark", A & D loved it as children.
Ann x
Wonderful shots! I am surprised to see owls out in broad daylight. In my eXperience, we rarely spotted the barn owl (white), eXcept at dusk. I assumed they were nocturnal?
ReplyDeleteWow! How cool is that?!?
ReplyDeleteFascinating....
Very cool! I've never seen one before.
ReplyDeleteI love owls! Thanks for that great website that allowed us to listen to all the different ones. We have several owls here in Georgia.
ReplyDeleteThere's some kind of bird that hollers in the night that sounds like a peacock. Any idea what it could be?
Feeling owly is a phrase used around here too - we have them but I've never seen one close up like your pictures! Such a unique bird!
ReplyDeleteLately a Yosemite blog I check in on has had great owl photos too...in that environ the owls coloration is very camo...the feathers and the tree bark shading a deep copy. Your owls sitting against the blue sky with those changing leaves are just stunning. I know they are their own, those owls, and maybe they even know, "oh little lamb dost thou know who made thee?" that they are really God's owls...but right now, fortunate you be, they are also your owls. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love seeing these Owls in the trees Jody! So cool! Great pictures. I really love this time of the year. The other night I enjoyed during my sleep, two owls outside our bedroom window whooing to each other. Very soothing, to listen to.
ReplyDeleteTHanks for sharing these cool pictures!
Debbie