Northern Hawk Owl

globalnews.ca/video/3229197/snow-route-parking-ban-for-ca...

There is a Snowfall Warning Alert in effect today, Sunday, 5 February 2017. The snow was heavy earlier today, but falling more lightly at the moment.

"Issued at 10:33 Sunday 05 February 2017
A long period of snowfall, with total amounts of 15 to 25 cm continues." Isn't that what we all just longed to hear, lol?! The temperature is -17C (windchill -22C).

A week ago, on 29 January 2017, I left home hoping to see one species of owl and came home having seen a different species instead! There was no sign of the first kind of owl, despite quite a few other pairs of eyes that had been searching. I don't normally drive from one location to another one that is a long way away, but I did this day, and I am so glad I did. I am not disclosing the area, especially after what some photographers have been doing recently to get close photos of a Barred Owl. While most photographers are respectful of wildlife, there are always a few who will do anything to get a closer shot. When I reached my destination, I slowed down, starting to check the trees and fence line. Then I spotted a car parked further up the road and found that there were a couple of photographers who had already found the owl.

In the short time I was there, this beautiful Northern Hawk Owl was busy hunting, flying from tree to tree and along the fence line. I don't remember ever seeing a Northern Hawk Owl perched on a fence post before, and I was so happy to get a nice, clear view of it. It was some distance down the road; not as close as it looks in my photo. EXIF data: Focal Length (35mm format) - 1200 mm.

I saw the owl dive into the snow twice - not sure if it caught a Meadow Vole the first time or not, as I wasn't quick enough to get a photo, but I did see it with a Meadow Vole dangling from its beak the second time. Sorry for the little rodent, but glad that the owl had a tasty snack.

The last time I was lucky enough to see one of these gorgeous birds of prey was on 8 February 2016, just about a year ago. It was just the same thrill seeing this most recent one!

"The type of prey the Hawk-Owl catches will determine its eating strategy. For mammalian prey the ritual is generally the same: the Northern Hawk-Owl will eviscerate its prey, eats the head first (especially for prey like the red squirrel, whose head is fairly large), and then—when tackling larger prey—it will eat the organs and cache the remains; with smaller prey, the owl will simply swallow the body whole."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Hawk-Owl

"The Northern Hawk Owl can detect prey by sight at a distance of up to 800 meters (half a mile). Though it is thought to detect prey primarily by sight, the Northern Hawk Owl can find and seize prey under 30 cm (1 foot) of snow." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_hawk_owl/lifehistory