It took mere seconds after I had muttered Wake-up, Wake-up friend Owl for him/her to open its eyes.
Could it be this little owl understood what I was asking it to do…don’t think so but I was glad to see this happen.
There’s nothing more boring than watching a sleeping owl…or like I’ve said before it’s like watching paint dry.
Of course not all the Peregrine site are inside Winnipeg where we can have cameras installed and the ability to check the locations remotely from the comforts of home. Why I can even check using my phone…they just have an app for everything.
So what did we do before all this high-tech stuff came along…boots on the ground with physical checks.
The Old School approach is still required for those out of town sites…being Country Birds may be the reason why this one was using a tree to perch in…just sayin !
Eastern Screech-Owls being one of our smaller owls ( 8 in ) compared to the Great Gray (27 in ). Being nocturnal they tend to sleep away the day usually perched in a cavity opening. Their calls are described as a soft quavering whistle or whinny.
Other than the fact that they are so small their coloration definitely helps them blend into their surroundings and can be difficult to spot.
This encounter has only been the 4th time I’ve been able photograph one of these small owls…hopefully they will stick around.