Reading the Body Language

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photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

Every once in awhile you come across an active owl where you try and anticipate their next move. Beginning with knowing the difference between hunt mode and escape mode and it was obvious this owl was actively on the hunt. Witnessing its sudden head jerks and prolonged stares as it attempted to locate a meal beneath the snow.

Picking up on how the owl repositions itself and the direction it seems to be focused on is key.

Then attempting if possible to find a good position and wait for things to unfold…the owl now having sifted and focused just prior to launching.

The right place at the right time…just sayin !

From a Forgotten File

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photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

I happened to be on a completely different mission and while sifting through some summer files only to find something of interest. Don’t often see these birds but you do hear them from time to time. They are usually hidden low in the bush and seem to like thicker underbrush.

Was surprised when this one was found in the open.

Gray Catbirds are similar to Blackbirds in size…….and yes they do actually make a cat like meow.

Options…which one to choose ?

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photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

From time to time your presented with other options while out-n-about. Recently while out owling I stumbled across the opportunity which turned out to be a very cooperative Red Fox plus a perched Gray just a short distance beyond the fox.

Thinking that the owl would hang around but the fox may bolt at any moment…so the choice was quickly made as to focus on the fox.

This was a photographers nightmare with a lot of vegetation in the foreground with no clean shot unless I got out of the truck. It was a fifty fifty chance the fox would bolt and I would end up with the South End of a North bound critter.

Even by getting out of the truck the foliage still presented a problem. Bottom line…I was able to spend some time with the fox then moved on to the Gray Owl that had been sitting patiently waiting for me.