Fellow bird fans will likely have experienced this kind of adventure. The camera gear is double-checked and ready, a new spot has been chosen to visit, and a lot of research has been done into the kind of territory it is, the habitat and features selected carefully.
On this trip, I was determined to scour a new area of a forest in search of owls. I wasn’t sure if I’d be looking for Barred Owls in Birch trees, or maybe a saw-whet in cedar. All I knew is this forest HAD to have something and I was going to look closer than ever before for them!
Three hours later, we had enjoyed a fantastic hike, traversed new areas of a marshland including through soggy watery areas, but alas, barely any birds were seen, a few nuthatches were heard, a distant woodpecker was seen, but no owls were found.
We enjoyed the walk, and headed back to the car. Instead of driving straight home, we decided to go the other way and see if that red-tailed hawk from last time was still around.
As luck would have it, and as life also often works, the next thing we knew, we were gasping in amazement at the huge white owl atop a tree beside the road.
We enjoyed watching it for a few minutes when I looked across the field and WOW, another one on a telephone pole. These owls were likely a couple, and were using this tundra-like field for hunting.
Needless to say, what a great adventure it was, and despite the best laid plans, what we found not what we had expected. It pays to just get out and look, that’s for sure.
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