37 Comments

What a beautiful looking owl!

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Thanks Juliet and agreed!

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Excellent Sijo and lovely shots, Neil

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Thanks James and much appreciated

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Excellent post, Neil. This speaks so well for being familiar with a particular environment and knowing where and who to look for and, of course, how to listen for crows.

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Thanks Heidi and much appreciated. The crows are a really good indicator in my experience for finding owls, hawks, foxes, etc. They have helped me in so many ways over the years.

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The tip off from the crows is something I’ve learned from you, Neil. Much appreciated. The Sijo is also really wonderful and nuanced.

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Thanks Heidi and happy to share

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Stunning.

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Thanks Sarah. This owl was such a treat. I was really fortunate that day.

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Owls never don't feel like magic.

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Agreed, Sarah.

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Beautiful Neil -🦉 are mystical ❤️

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Thanks Lori and agreed, there is definitely something mystical about owls. :)

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Really great, Neil!

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Thanks Wei Tam!

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Patience shared by you both. That must be a satisfying feeling. 🤎

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Thanks Ann and it was satisfying to feel that patience and connection with this Barred Owl.

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Thank you for featuring these beautiful beings and I am grateful their are in nature, living as they are meant to live. They have important jobs to do and help keep ecosystems in balance.

I love Barred Owls and care for them, as well as other raptors and wildlife. They are too injured to return to the wild. They are so intelligent. I love their huge eyes watching everything I do while with them. We blink and click in unison. It's sad they are permanently injured and live in an enclosure, and I am grateful to help assure the love and care of them. I did a feature called Nature Speaks, it was a fun story about some of the beings who are quite the characters.

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Thank you Robin and that's amazing that you care for owls she often raptors. They're the owl I have encountered the most the past few years. I'm absolutely captivated by their eyes - such a difference from the Eastern Screech-owls and Great Horned Owls I've seen occasionally. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge and doing what you do!

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Thank you, Neil, and thank you, for your beautiful work. If you would like to be a guest writer in Wildlands, please DM me.

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I’m becoming convinced that you are part-gnome or forest-elf, I hope you take that for the compliment I mean it to be - that whenever you go out into the woods, the denizens of the forest are all too willing to appear in honor of your alliance!

I’m always pleased to hear a barred owl, and can’t wait to see one like this, one day. Great photos as usual.

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Thanks Emma and much appreciated! I have been fortunate on many occasions to see wildlife on my hikes. It's interesting in many cases because it is often other wildlife tipping me off to the presence of another species.

I hope you have an opportunity to see a Barred Owl one day. They're quite a treat to see.

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Increíble pictures!

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Thank you Brian! I was really fortunate that morning. A hat-tip to the local crows as well for tipping me off. ;)

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It’s showing patience as if unreal in my eyes. I wish I were there with it to enjoy that quiet moment. Well done Neil.

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Thank you, Nancy. The patience of this owl was a true gift. I do hope you have the opportunity to see one, too.

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Exquisite birds and verse! Thank you, Neil.

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Thanks, Mary and they are certainly exquisite - such a treat to see. :)

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Neil, these photos are fabulous, with the barred owl behind the leaves. I love the Sijo too, it fits perfectly.

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Thanks Pamela and much appreciated. I was so fortunate that this owl was so patient. That and the crows tipping me off helped. :)

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My experience with barred owls is that they will sit for some time unless they are actively hunting. There have been a couple in the Refuge that have attracted bird paparazzi and just sat it out until after the paparazzi leaves. They seem to be very patient birds.

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So true, Pamela. It's interesting seeing them shift from lazy-slumber mode to awake and aware.

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I don't know about Owls but when I milked cows in my youth and the cows mooed, and wanted to be milked first I waited until they quietened and Rosa the oldest cow was milked first

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Interesting Janoskar. Sometimes patience shows well in the most experienced.

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Well played indeed Neil, well played.

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Thanks Michael and I learned much from the owl in this case!

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