Owling...

After the Big Feast that is Thanksgiving, I took the older grands outdoors with me to fetch the eggs from the chicken coop and then we went owling.  If you've never read Owl Moon, you should.  Then you will know what owling is.  What it means is to trek out in the trees to find an owl.  It requires;  Being quiet, Walking without much noise,  Watching closely,  Listening.  It was nearly dark when we went out and it was COLD and there was a skiff of snow on the ground.  We noticed how very many, many jackrabbit tracks were all over the snow.  We were bundled up, but the littlest Grandie was very cold and needed to be carried, so after a short walk through The Woods with no owl sighting, we turned for home.

(pic from Owl Moon)

This afternoon I took my walk through The Woods and found three owls.  All Great Horned.  I took some progression-type photos with my phone.  Some from a distance --can you sight the owl amongst the trees?  Some pictures are closer and some are of the owls flying low and stealth.  As I walked home one of the owls flew near to the houses.  I found Miss Peach playing outdoors and took her to the tree where he had landed.  She was thrilled to see this owl so up-close and personal.  He didn't mind us one bit, but just sat there turning his head this way and that,  minding his own business while we admired his size, feather patterns, colors, and his long ear tufts.  More owling adventures to come!