The barred owl, with intent focus, glided over the flooded forest floor, stretching out its talons to swiftly snatch up its prey. Then it landed on a nearby tree branch to examine its prize. Carefully, it extricated its catch from collected debris. Aware of my presence, the owl took flight deeper into the woods to savor its snack in solitude.

“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.”
– Luciano Pavarotti

We often hear the call of a Barred Owl as we walk in the woods of the refuge, but never seem to be in the right place to actually see one. Recently, however, while driving through the refuge, we stopped the car because I wanted to get a photo of a stream running through the woods.  As I opened the door to get out, a startled Barred Owl in a nearby tree took flight and landed in another tree a few yards down the road.  We had unknowingly stopped in the same place where an owl was sitting.  It was a very pleasant surprise.

The Barred Owl with its Razor-sharp Talons.

Barred Owl scrambling up the branch of a tree.

Now you see me, now you don’t.

A stream running through the woods near where the owl sat.

“The best part of the journey is the surprise and wonder along the way.”  ~Ken Poirot