Barred Owl

The lady didn't have to say anything more. We knew where to look.

On Saturday, DW got us up early to head out on a photo shoot. I was feeling like crap, with a lot of discomfort in my lower abdomen, but after some coaxing, I finally agreed to go.

Lately, we've been visiting Fletcher Wildlife Garden, near the Central Experimental Farm and the Arboretum. At this time of year, the wild flowers are really in bloom and there are myriad birds fluttering about. We've already been there twice and I've shared some of the flowers in a recent Wordless Wednesday post.

I'll have more to say about the photos at Fletcher's on Friday.

DW and I thought that if we went to the wildlife gardens early enough, there would be few people there, if any, and that the birds might be more active. We were right about there being few people: in fact, no one else was there when we arrived, shortly after 7. But the birds weren't fluttering about as we had hoped.

We heard birds in distant trees but saw nothing near the flower-filled ravine.

We wandered to the back of the gardens, where a feeder was set up, but the birds that we saw were common: red-winged blackbirds; sparrows; chickadees; grackles; and downy woodpeckers.

At least the flowers cooperated.

As we were about to leave, a woman with a mirrorless camera and a huge telephoto lens showed up. We explained to her that we had been at the gardens for about a half an hour and hadn't seen a single bird near the ravine.

She said that she had just come from Mud Lake, about a 20-minute drive away. She also said that there were a few common birds and the usual ducks and geese, but that she also saw a barred owl.

"Was it along the trail or along Cassels Street?" I asked. She didn't seem to know the name of the road but when she said it was the road that led to the water filtration plant, she didn't need to say anything more. We were talking about the same place.

I had photographed an owl along that stretch of road last year but never saw it again. Others had told me that they had found owls in that spot, too, but that they weren't always there.

DW and I decided to jump in our car and make our way to Mud Lake. It was worth a shot.

We pulled off to the side of Cassels Street between the trailhead to the lake and the water filtration plant, and crossed the road. I could see a gap in the woods where people had made their way in the past. Sure enough, another person was tucked inside the growth.

"Owl?" I said as he emerged and saw me. He was empty-handed.

"Yes," he said, "but it's tucked away in the trees. He's not easy to see."

I could see the owl from where we were standing, but barely. It was mid-way up a tree, beyond a wire fence and wetland. We could only get so far in the growth. I ventured a bit eastward, along the fence, and came to an area where only a few thin branches were blocking a clear view of the owl. I took a few snaps and the shots weren't bad.

I carefully and quietly pressed on, through more growth, and even though I was getting a bit farther from the owl, I noticed that I had an even clearer, head-on vantage.

Here's the shot I took.

DW followed me and got some shots, too, before we turned to head out. The man, who had left the area after we had spoken, returned with a Canon camera with a huge telephoto lens. He went straight to the first spot but I pointed out where we had been able to capture a less-obstructed photo. We bid each other a good day before DW and I made our way back to our car.

Two photo venues. Two very different experiences.

Happy Tuesday!