National Bird Day January 5
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We love birds and have spent countless hours watching them. I have to admit, searching for owls is one of my all-time favorite things to do. Hope you enjoy this little story about our northern hawk owl escapade.
Four of us scrambled up a steep slope while slogging through the rugged tundra landscape. We were on what could be a once-in-a-lifetime mission. We were searching for a northern hawk owl fledgling. Its raspy call was reverberating across the uneven tundra.
We were climbing the area above Medicine Lake in Jasper National Park. Huge boulders, fallen trees, and clumps of moss littered the slope. After an hour of searching we finally found it. I was scanning the trees where I thought the call was coming from when suddenly the fledgling appeared in front of me about four feet away. Not moving, just staring wide-eyed at me. The young owl was perched along side a tree trunk on a branch. Perfectly camoflauged. I probably scanned that tree three times before I actually saw it. In my experience, this is often the case when searching for owls.
The parent, which was perched higher in a nearby tree, screeched its alarm call for a few minutes. Finally it stopped. Then we witnessed the most exhilarating encore. The adult hawk owl fed its baby a mouse. Unbelievable. As we left, still excited about the little fledgling, we were already on to our next mission…to find a moose and its calf.
Northern hawk owls live year-round in central and northern Canada and Alaska. During the winter months they can be found in the northern states from eastern Washington to Maine. These owls like open areas such as the edge of burns and sparse woodlands.
For more pictures of our feathered friends, check out Givenphoto Bird Gallery.
