Owl Magic



"May the Force be with you."

Whenever I head into nature, I go without expectations, because it's a lot more fun to see what gifts await.  Some of these gifts come in small packages, like hummingbirds, while others are larger, like reddish egrets.  On this day, though, the package was neither big nor small, but just the right size.

The Way Eye See It was taking a final turn around John Chestnut Sr. Park in Palm Harbor recently, looking for deer, but open for anything, when from somewhere overhead, a big bird swooped over the car and into a stand of pine trees.  We were so surprised, we didn't even think about identifying this bird, only figuring it had to be some kind of owl due to its shape and wingspan.

Even though we figured the owl would be long gone by the time we parked, we knew we couldn't just drive off without knowing for sure.  So, we parked, Anna grabbed her binoculars, I got my camera, and off we went in search of the owl - which ended up taking about two minutes, because the owl had landed in the pine tree closest to us.  It sat on a fairly low branch, and didn't seem at all in a hurry to move on.



looking like the proverbial wise old owl

Time is usually of the essence, though, when it comes to birds, and it was too good to be true this guy was hanging out.  I debated whether to go to the car for my 500mm zoom, and decided what the heck, since I'd already gotten a few shots with my smaller zoom.  If the owl flew away in the meantime, I was still happy we'd had the chance to see it.  I went to the car, changed cameras, changed lenses, mounted both on my tipod, and the owl was in the exact same spot when I returned.  It modeled for us - preened, stretched, squinted at us with its liquid-black eyes.  We were amazed it sat as long as it did, giving us the opportunity to really study it, since we'd never seen a Barred Owl in in the wild before.

I love their big ole round heads, and their huge black eyes are so expressive.  I didn't know until I read later that Barred Owls are the only eastern North American dark-eyed owls aside from Barn Owls.  Their expression is a serious one.  Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal about Barred Owls, "Solemnity is what they express, - fit representatives of the night."  That definitely rings true, although this owl was out in the early evening.  Still, even in the early evening, there's a mysterious air about owls.


scoping out the landscape

Eventually, the owl took flight, and we thought that was the last we'd see of it. When it landed in another tree not too far away, we watched it some more.  And I took more pictures, while it sat and looked around, until I finally reached the point (which almost never happens), when I decided I'd taken enough pictures.  Nine times out of ten, birds never stay, and sometimes the only pictures I get are of their butts as they fly away.  Even funnier are the shots of one departing foot in the very corner of the frame. 

This Barred Owl, though, who sat and let us fall in love with it, was magic, big ole round-headed, black-eyed magic in a package that was just the right size.



"Yes?"

"No matter how slow the film, Spirit always stands still enough for the photographer It has chosen."

Minor White

Wall Springs Park

blue-winged teal

Wall Springs Park in Palm Harbor is a sweet place, but I sort of wrote it off my bird watching list about a year ago, after a few ho-hum visits.  Well, that was a mistake.  Recently, a coworker mentioned she'd been watching a Great Horned Owl there over the course of several weeks, and I decided finally to find it for myself - and by find it, I mean asking my coworker she'd found it. 

In addition to being a pleasant place to walk around, Wall Springs is full of history.  It was originally owned by the Wall family, until, in 1927, they sold their property, and Wall Springs became Health Springs.  The spring was used as a health spa and bathing area up until the mid-60's. By then, the name had reverted back to Wall Springs. Between 1988 until 2009, Pinellas County aquired the property, totalling 210 acres, definitely a respectable size. The source of the spring is the Upper Florida Aquifer, and the spring waters maintains a balmy 74 degree temp. Swimming is no longer allowed, though, in order to maintain the ecosystem. The park is even connected to the Pinellas Trail, which makes for easy bike access.
 

red-breasted merganser

I dropped by one Saturday evening after work, with only my binoculars, thinking of the relaxing walk and potential owl sighting.  Of course, because I didn't have my camera, the first bird I saw was brand new to me.  Without a picture, I had to rely on my memory, and hope I'd recognize this duck when I got home and looked in the Stokes Guide to Eastern Birds, which I also didn't have with me.  Soon after seeing new duck number 1, new duck number 2 paddled by.  There were also several mallards in the spa/pond area, as well as gulls, 2 Little Blue Egrets, and a Tricolored Heron.  If you follow the sidewalk around the pond, you'll cross a bridge over Boggy Bayou, which is another opportunity to see birds - Great Egrets, White Ibis, and a Great Blue Heron this time. The sidewalk turns off to piers, which offer great views, but, if you continue towards the observation tower, you'll find the tree where the Great Horned Owl lives.  She's well camoflagued, but she's worth the effort.

great horned owl

After watching the owl, ear tufts gently blown by the breeze, giant yellow staring eyes, I turned back and headed towards the bridge.  On one side, there were two Snowy Egrets standing on driftwood, then, nearby, another bird unfamiliar to me. I was excited, hoping it was a Clapper Rail, since I've seen them in pictures, but never in person. I'd also recently read about Clapper Rail sightings in the area, so I stored that guy in my memory bank, along with the two new ducks.  SPOILER ALERT for the picture below!

juvenile black-crowned night heron

As excited as I was to go home and look up the birds I'd seen, I wasn't going to miss a gorgeous Florida sunset, looking out from the pier, taking in the breeze and the birds flying off to roost. Is there anything better?

another beautiful florida sunset

And with help from my bird guide,  I was able to identify the ducks and bird I'd seen: Blue-winged Teals, Red-breasted Mergansers, and a juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron.  So no Clapper Rail this time, but they're around. I know I'll see one sometime, and that's all that matters.  When it comes to my time in nature, I'm happy with whatever's on offer, and what I see almost always exceeds my expectations.  As for Wall Springs, I learned my lesson: don't give up on parks, because you never know when a ho-hum experience will turn into a great one.