The Cheep Goes On
/It seems that this winter the most activity that we have seen has been with the birds. Keeping the feeders full has been an ongoing job--one done with pleasure, I might add. Mostly it's been our usual cadre of chickadees, nuthatches and blue jays. One morning when I went out to replenish the supply of sunflower seeds, it was really quiet. No birds at the moment to be seen. But as I opened the can and dug into the seeds, I heard one lone "Cheep!" Whether it was a wake-up call or a breakfast bell, I cannot say. But as soon as I went back in the lodge, the feeders were all aflutter with hungry little birds.
On a recent trip to Grand Marais, Paul and I noticed a large figure in the upper branches of one of the trees on the roadside. The stark outline of the tree on the blue sky made it easy to spot the solid being that turned out to be an owl. Fortunately, we were at a good spot in the road to pull off to the side. Paul hopped out, camera in hand, to see what he could capture.
Barred Owl
We watched him for a few minutes, Paul snapping the camera away. But then approaching traffic made the bird decide that it was time to leave.
Appreciating the scale of these birds is definitely easier when they are in flight like this. The graceful flapping of those huge wings is a sight to behold. I also like the roundness of their heads. Most birds have a pointed profile, because of the position of their beaks. These guys project an air of purpose and determination to me.
Off he went, deep into the woods. Soon we will be hearing their calls, once we are able to have our windows open at night again. I'm looking forward to that.