What A Sight

When I left for work the other day, I was driving the lane out to the highway when a very large owl flew out of the top of a tree. I thought I had spooked him, but he glided about 50 yards and hit the snow. It looked like a bomb went off. The owl was sitting in the snow with nothing showing but his eyes. It was a Great Gray which is very very rare in our area. I had heard they can hear mice under the snow and hunt in the daylight, but this is the first time I had ever witnessed it personally. What a sight he made when he busted the snow. It is so deep here, I can only imagine what kind of hearing it takes to hear a mouse 50 yards away under the snow and then be able to get it. Mother nature never ceases to amaze.

How gullable do you think we are Jerry? Do you expect us to believe you still work?

That is a great story and I am sure it was REALLY cool to see it.

Nice!

Not as uncommon I suppose, but still first time for me. Was working in the yard… and our chickens were about 20 feet from me next to the garage… when out of nowhere, I hear them squaking, look over and a VERY large hawk was dive-bombing them… just 20 FEET from me. It missed, and flew onto a branch 15 feet from me (8 feet up from ground level. I know hawks will take a chicken given the chance… but so close to a human standing there. strange.

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It was a Great Gray which is very very rare in our area.

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Also called the Lapland Owl…They are huge birds and very cool, one of the largest owls there is…they are more common up here when the snow north of us(Canada) gets real deep. They will extend their range and come south to the U.P. They will hunt during the day…as I have seen them on low branches and stumps during winter days… The Great Gray Owl hunts mainly during early morning and late afternoon, especially during winter, but will also hunt during other daylight hours and at night. They are often seen perched on poles or fenceposts along roads. When hunting, a Great Gray Owl will use a perch to “sit and wait” or it may hunt through the forest, a few feet above the ground. When ground is covered with snow, a Great Gray Owl can hunt by hearing alone and often plunges into the snow to capture small rodents moving underneath as far as a foot under the snow.

My wife and I work On Call only when the staff is down to the bare bones and just has to have help. Lately that has been a lot, I’ve worked more in the last month than in the last three months combined. If I didn’t work some, a lot of people would never get a day of vacation.

Really good part is they pay me the same wage I retired at and I can say no anytime I want. During the winter, I’m storing up nuts for the road trip to South Carolina in February and the summer fishing trips. (Diesel parts too.)

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During the winter, I’m storing up nuts for the road trip to South Carolina in February and the summer fishing trips. (Diesel parts too.)

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Diesel parts are expensive. You better save a bunch of nuts.

$2,000 so far this month for diesel parts, but I’m really getting some yabadabdo in it.

I’m too old to be learning how to bolt things to diesels laying in the gravel in the barn at 11 F. I’m doing it anyway. Keeps me young.

I’ve been getting owl visits in the night of my back yard. Seems we’ve got quite few rodents running around. Just the other day seen the owl perched up on a tree.

I remember years ago,when travelling from WI to see relatives in Detroit. We stopped for gas and food somewhere in Indiana,and aswe were abput to re-enter the freeway I saw a snowy owl sitting on a fencepost.

I did a quick U-turn and stopped to gawk. By the time we left there was over a dozen vehicles stopped.