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| Barred Owl (Strix varia) watching the forest floor at Radnor Lake |
Mr/Ms Barred Owl was intently scanning the forest floor for breakfast. Poor critter those eyes are watching for you. I am fairly certain that had there not been a noisy audience of excited walkers, breakfast might have arrived sooner. We surely scared away any small mammals, rabbits, birds, amphibians and reptiles that are their preferred foods.
Barred Owls are stocky, round-headed, medium-sized gray-brown owls with no ear tufts and big dark eyes. The underparts are whitish with dark streaks, and the bill is dull yellow. Sounds so-so, but, they are beautiful creatures.
Radnor Lake, with its forested bottom lands and wooded swamps offers all its resident critters the perfect hunting and nesting ground. It's a wonderful place to walk and experience wildlife up close and personal. If you like birds, if you like waterfowl, if you want to catch otters at play, it's the place to walk.
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| full grown they have a 40" wingspan |
So watch out chipmunks! I am recruiting owls for the garden!
xoxogail
**While not in my garden (dagnabbit), they are widespread in the eastern half of the United States and across central Canada to northern California. (Owl calls)
Gail Eichelberger is a gardener and therapist in Middle Tennessee. She loves wildflowers and native plants and thoroughly enjoys writing about the ones she grows at Clay and Limestone." She reminds all that the words and images are the property of the author and cannot be used without written permission.
Oh what a lucky sighting, Gail, and wonderful captures in pixels. I love the thought of owls in the garden, any type. There is one across the street that I can hear sometimes. Must listen carefully to identify the call.
ReplyDeletexoxoxo
Frances
Wow. You must have been really stealth to grab such an amazing shot. And I love the heron too. I'm amazed that your trees are all leafed out. Ours are either just emerging or still dormant.
ReplyDeleteLovely pics! Your chipmunk looks so different than my chipmunks (Ontario, Canada). I must look up the variations.
ReplyDeleteCould the owl even carry that chipmunk away?
ReplyDeleteLovely captures. We've had Barred Owls here always (except for this past winter when a pair of Great Horned moved in for a few months) and although we often here them I've never gotten a picture. I never know when I'm going to see one.
Oh! Awesome photos! We have at least three species of owl here on the property, but we have so many darned trees I rarely see them...and never when I have my camera handy! Nice catch!
ReplyDeleteLove owls! Hope you successfully recruit the Barred Owls. Do they like nesting boxes?
ReplyDeleteI think they like cavities in trees...
DeleteDear Gail, I love this post. The photo with the heron is fabulous but all are great. What a treat to see a Barred Owl. Good luck recruiting them to your garden. Have a lovely weekend. Carol
ReplyDeleteThey're beautiful! Lucky you capturing this one on camera. Radnor Lake looks like a gorgeous place for a walk.
ReplyDeleteWe have Great Horned Owls around here. We hear them a lot at night, and occasionally can see their shadowy figures in the trees. I hope they've gotten rid of the voles - haven't seen one lately.
Have a wonderful weekend, Gail!
Wow! That is so cool! The other night when my husband and I were on our way home from a local restaurant, as we were passing a farmer's field, an owl flew out of the fog, and along the road a little ways, and then back into the fog and the darkness. It was eerie.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lucky find. Your photos are beautiful especially of the Great Blue Heron at the edge of the pond. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteLove the owls and that shot of the heron is amazing...that's a real winner Gail!!
ReplyDeletelucky you to see this beautiful bird (and catch a pretty darn good photo). I was lucky enough once to see a barred owl on a walk and it was absolutely captivating. Those huge eyes are something else, especially when they look right at you.
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