It’s been like Wild Kingdom around here lately. Yesterday evening, Tom Woodruff, a home builder and one of the developers of our neighborhood, came across a Great Horned Owl beside the “creek” that recirculates from and to the south pond. He got some wonderful photos of the bird, which is rarely seen in the daylight around here.
Photo courtesy of Tom Woodruff
As you can see, the owl is actually standing in the water. My guess is that he’s been dining on the numerous leopard frogs that inhabit the stream. I hope he’s also feasting on the cotton rats that were flourishing in the area earlier in the summer. I haven’t spotted any in a couple of weeks, so perhaps that’s the case.
I’ve heard this owl (or one like him), hooting in the early morning hours, and I’ve seen the dark shadow of one flying across the night sky, but I’ve yet to see one in broad daylight. What a beautiful bird!
Discover more from The Fire Ant Gazette
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
He’s awfully handsome.
Or she.
But we’ll go with he.
Also? I’m guessing he’s in the water to cool off. But that could just be because I’m currently broiling.
I debated the gender issue and settled on “he” for no other reason than it saved a few keystrokes in the post. We’re all about typing efficiency here at the G’ette.
Oh, and I love it when hot chicks leave comments. 😉
Beautiful bird, but I’ve gotta wonder if it’s sick or something, coming out in broad daylight and sitting in the water like that.
Well, I’m not an owl expert by any stretch, but casual research shows that horned owl sightings around dusk (which this was) or dawn are not uncommon. And, as I mentioned, the food supply is plentiful along that stream.
But, now you have me worried about plague-ridden brain-sucking zombie owls. Thanks a lot.
That is beautiful!!!