In the Oak - Great Horned Owl

Great horned owls have been part of my psyche since I was a teenager. This is not because of their rarity. In fact they are one of the most wide-spread birds in North America. Depending on which area they come from they can have colour forms that vary from quite pale to quite dark. The reason for their role in my psyche has to do with their 'gravitas'. Their presence seems powerful.

As a boy I would direct my hikes to places where owls might be seen. To see any owl seems to me to be an honour but the great horned is the most formidable of them all. I would prowl through the darkest coniferous groves which shelter and conceal owls in the daytime. I would spend my time not looking up in the trees but on the ground for regurgitated pellets ... usually mouse bones wrapped in a capsule of fur. If I found any it would be worthwhile to scrutinize the tree above for an owl shaped shadow. With luck I would focus my binoculars on the dark blob and find the awesome eyes looking at me.

However, my best chance came with the help of crows. They are great owl locators. As I approached, the owl, finding the harassing crows and human presence just too much would fly with hysterical crows in hot pursuit. Those few seconds watching the owl's big, silent wings disappearing through the trees would make my day.