Northern Hawk Owl

I was so exhausted by the time I got home yesterday. Drove across the city and way out past Cochrane (NW of the city), hoping that I'd be able to find one of the Northern Hawk Owls that people have been reporting. This drive is much longer than I normally do (about an hour and a half each way) - this was only the third time I've ever done it. I knew I had to try - I think it has been three years since I've seen a Northern Hawk Owl. When I finally reached my destination, despite very clear directions, I suddenly realized that I didn't know which side of the road to walk in, through some trees and to a large field. I also wasn't thinking that there would be a snow embankment to climb over and that I'd be walking in snow up to my knees. The kind of snow that has developed a crunchy top to it and you never knew if the next step would keep you on top of the surface or whether you'd suddenly sink up to your knees or mid-calf. I always find this kind of walking very tiring. Looked and looked for an owl and when I was just about ready to give up, I happened to catch sight of it on top of a tall, skinny, broken tree trunk, way across the other side of the open area. While I was walking with eyes down, looking to see where I could next put my foot, it apparently flew. Took me a while to find it again, perched almost at the top of what must be the tallest tree I have ever seen!! Perhaps I should post a photo later today, to show the distant tree, just for fun, to show you the challenges faced by bird photographers. Amazing how a little point-and-shoot, fully zoomed, can manage to get a photo like the one I'm posting, from such a long distance, along with heavy cropping of course. Guess I should have taken a supply of mice (just kidding, of course), lol!! I don't know how other people have managed to get very close up shots! Eventually, the owl flew way off into the distance, where it looked like a second owl took off with it, and they disappeared from sight. No luck finding them again. Crummy photos, really, but I was still happy to get them. I just managed to get back before I ran out of gas - which had been worrying me greatly for a good part of the trip. Usually, I go out with a full tank of gas. Hopefully, lesson learned! Hoping that, if I can make myself do the long trip again, there will be a few other people there, too : )

The Northern Hawk Owl is a medium-sized owl, about 35 centimetres (14 inches) long. It is rare to uncommon in Alberta, year round. Apparently, it is one of Alberta's most sought-after birds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Hawk_Owl/id/ac

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Hawk-Owl