Beacon on a Pole

photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

It’s been an unusual start to the Winter. With mild temps and the lack of snow but I’ve been kicking down the barn door…to get out and search for the Great White Owls from the North.
Finally a day when the weather cooperated and I refused to look at the Job Jar…this found me out roaming the Back Country Roads.

Always a great feeling when you spot that First Beacon on a Pole. Nature being Nature…nothing is a given as the Owl could very well take flight well before I even get close.

Perhaps the Owl simply felt sorry for me…staying perch for a short period before he decided enough was enough and flew off.

The encounter was short lived…but nice still nice to see.

Alert and Focused…Continued part 3

photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

From being perched in a tree focused on prey…to successfully catching its prey was mere seconds.
I’m sure the lack of snow makes this task much easier for the Hawk Owl…do remember though that not every attempt is successful.

The location that seems to be the hunting grounds is along a riverbank…with a mix of trees, grass and open area.
With thick bush just across the river which makes for an ideal location for caching food. Observations indicate that’s exactly what the owl is doing.

Catch a vole/mouse…them off across the river. Few minutes later…returns and catches another vole/mouse, back across the river.
Then after all that hard work shopping and filling the pantry…he’s hungry and ready for a meal.

Then there’s times he just simply sits high in a tree and watches the world go by.

Alert and Focused…Continued

photo courtesy of Dennis Swayze

As I mentioned…it didn’t take long to realize that the owl was focused on a certain area…how long would the wait be ?
The answer to that…about as long as you would wait for the signal lights to change at Portage and Main.

This Hawk Owl was on a mission and definitely focused on its prey…with the wings tucked in it was off like a rocket.
The morning didn’t turn out well for the vole…after which the owl proceeded to have Vole Tartare.

So it goes in the Nature World.