I saw a flash of a large bird disappearing behind my house (Juniper Dell) two days ago, but couldn’t tell what it was. Then yesterday a barred owl was sitting on a small branch right in front of my house for a few minutes, so I snapped a few photos through the window. This morning as I was starting a batch of Anadama Bread I heard a murder (a group) of crows raising a ruckus, looked out my window, and this owl was trying to find a place to sit where the crows couldn’t cause him or her trouble. The owl flew every few minutes to another branch, and stuck around for about six hours today. When it was on a particular branch by my house for a half hour I snuck outside and caught this photo. It seems a fairly young owl, judging from the yellow beak, and Greg Shute suggested that it may be the one that was released from the CEE (having undergone a few repairs) last week.
I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a relaxed day of vacation than watching this magnificent bird flying, resting, hunting, and basically taking over the neighborhood.
Happy New Year!
Paul Arthur, Assistant Head of School, Ethics & Environmental Issues
I wish I spent my new years on Chewonki Neck watching Barred Owls
I did however identify a Red-Eyed Vireo by its call when I was hiking up a mountain in St. Croix with a Rastafarian man.