The Roosting Barred Owl

This morning I met Dottie and Sylvia for breakfast at the Prairie Café, and then for birding at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Unfortunately, Sylvia got an emergency phone call concerning a friend and had to leave before we even left the café. Once at the conservancy, Dottie and I checked the "sparrow spot" and found White-crowned, White-throated, American Tree, and Fox Sparrows. Other birds present included Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Red-winged Blackbird, American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, and more! While thoroughly exploring the area, we heard a distant Great Horned Owl calling from the heart of the woods. We decided to check it out.



On our way to where we thought we heard the Great Horned Owl, I spotted a roosting Barred Owl. Pointing up in its direction, I calmly motioned to Dottie, "There's a Barred Owl right up there!" We were both incredibly thrilled to have such an intimate view of the bird. Urban legend has it that having an owl in your dream symbolizes wisdom, insight, and virtue. As I digiscoped the sleepy owl, I pondered whether or not birds dream. Apparently, they may! What might a Barred Owl dream about? Eating? Flying through the dense woods? Encounters with other birds or animals? Or perhaps a woods free of mobbing crows!



As we tallied up our list for my eBird entry, we noticed we hadn't encountered a Blue Jay all morning. That seemed a bit strange. Usually they're all over the place along the creek corridor. I finally saw one on my way home, flying across Pheasant Branch Road toward the Conservancy Condos where there are lots of bird feeders.

Location: Pheasant Branch
Observation date: 2/7/10
Number of species: 28

Mallard

Cooper's Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Mourning Dove

Great Horned Owl

Barred Owl

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Blue Jay

American Crow

Horned Lark

Black-capped Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

White-breasted Nuthatch

American Robin

European Starling

Cedar Waxwing

American Tree Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

White-crowned Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Northern Cardinal

Red-winged Blackbird

House Finch

American Goldfinch

House Sparrow

Barred Owl © 2010 Mike McDowell