Owl Freebies...

Here are some lovely owls for you. I hope you enjoy them.  One of my sons had a birthday today. So, as a present I am sharing these with you. I personally think they are wonderful birds.  The first one I ever saw was in my neighbor's basement when I was just a child.  It was a screech owl.  For such a tiny owl it made a huge racket.  In our barn on the old farm we use to have an owl.  I would find it's pellets disgarded in strange places. I loved finding it's feathers.  I have a vase full of different feathers I have found.
My favorite owl is the horned owl.  I love the coloring and the ears. It looks so wise to me.  We had a barred owl at the house at the beach. He lived in the pine tree at the end of my driveway overlooking our pool. We became friends after the second year I lived there.  He would come out in the early evening.  I would come out and watch him survey the yards, then after a few pictures he would fly across the yard and in to another pine tree on the edge of the golf course.  Ready for the night hunt. All the years I lived there he only left me one feather. [The month I was moving out. It was like a goodbye present.] Sometimes if we timed it right I would be finishing up my night swim and he had delivered a savory meal to his mate and owlets, then he would fly right over me floating in the pool.  Just a whisper of air currents would let me know he was there.  His wing span was 4 feet or so. The quietest bird I have ever been in contact with.  On hot lazy summer nights I wonder if he flies over the pool and says hello to the new owners.[p.s. remember to double click on images to enlarge]