Third time is the charm! Twice before I had tried in vain to find these guys at their usual spot on Colorado’s northeastern plains. I spent hours combing through thick foliage with nothing to show for them.
Sunday I decided I just had to try again so I hit the road and this time, tried an entirely different thicket of bushes and trees. That proved to be very worthwhile.
I spent two hours with them, watching them hang out in their hiding place, preen, sleep and, sometimes, give me the evil eye. This one was one of the more amusing ones.
I first spotted the owl when it was napping and my approach did disturb it a bit. It gave me a half-sleepy look, then closed its eyes again. After a while, my butt was getting tired as I sat waiting for it to do something and I needed to rearrange. In doing so, the owl awoke, seeming to have forgotten I was there. It gave me this fantastic look and a nice view of those meat hooks. After a minute, it decided I was no threat and went back to its slumber.
These guys are just so danged cool and I am happy to have spent time with them.
