"Hmmm, could I pick him up?"

So the dog and I went to the local park to take some pics…again. I can’t explain how much fun it can be to just wander around back there. It is peaceful (eve with Mr. crazy with me). For the past few days there has been a particular field on my mind. It appears to be a deer highway. I have been hoping to get back there close to dusk to see if I could get lucky and get a picture of a herd. If you don’t know this time of year deer tend to form herds. Anyways, I walked back to the field, about a 1.5 mile walk to no avail. For some reason I was really disappointed. I really thought I would get to see some. The whole way back I complained to myself about wasting time and effort. I told the dog I should have just brought a tennis ball, forget the camera. When the dog and I were about 200 yards from the car, still back in a different field, I saw what I thought was the biggest hawk I have ever seen fly into a tree. Now, you have to try to picture this, especially those of you that have met Jake, I had Jake in one hand on his belly, the camera in the other hand. We crawled on our bellies in the weeds all the way to where we though the hawk was. I kept peeking at it through the camera but knew it was entirely too dark to try to take a picture. When we got close enough for me to realize it was an owl, I was so excited that I, just out of habit, tried to take a picture using both hands. The instant I let go of Jake he took off straight to the owl. What was amazing is the owl leaned down to take a look at Jake, and for a moment I was sure that it would zip down and carry Jake away. Yes, it was that big! OK may be it couldn’t have carried Jake away, but I do think it sized him up to decide. During their stare down, I got to my feet and ran up there. These are a few of the shots I got before it flew away. What a thing to see!!!!!!!!

For more inform on this wonderful creature:

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/barred_owl.htm