The last time I saw a Barred Owl in Kokanee Creek Park was a dozen years ago. Subsequently, I have seen a few Pygmy Owls and even Great Horned Owls there, but not a Barred. So, it was unexpected today when I spotted a protruding telephoto lens — a sure sign that there was something interesting to be seen. The camera belonged to a friend who had a Barred Owl in his sights.
The Barred Owl lives year-round in mixed forests where large trees are found in the vicinity of water. While that is a good description of the local terrain, finding an owl in the trees is a real challenge.
Daytime is a drowsy time for a Barred Owl.
With its eyes sort of open, the Barred Owl stares dreamily from its perch in a Douglas-fir tree.
YES!..does look dreamy…dreaming of mice and men…?
Allan, probably thinking of its last supper of snowshoe hare.
Alistair, I was startled by a barred owl perched on a branch close to my reading hammock, one windy day in summer 2019. I heard its call a fair bit in summer 2020.
They are wonderful owls!
Great owl…love its call…thanks for such a clear view!
Are there spotted owls locally as well? I used to live in California and it was once a truism that spotted owls lived west of the rockies and barred to the east. But there has been mixing and in Northern California hybrids are now common, as are barred. Evidently, spotted owls are more dependent on large tracts of undisturbed forests and rapacious clearcutting greatly reduced their population as they don’t do well in edge forests. It’s thought that barred owls may ultimately interbreed with and/or replace spotted owls.
Stephen, although we are west of the Rockies, we do not have, and maybe never have had, Spotted Owls.
Thank you for those great pictures. He looks quit alert to me in the second one . Could he have spied you, or your lens perhaps?