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Barred Owl

Strix varia

Description:

Barred Owl just captured a red squirrel. The scroll down story is on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yeimaya/326...

Habitat:

Mixed woods

Notes:

This was very hard to watch. The owl had been waiting quietly in a tree nearby for over 2 hours when this unfortunate squirrel came out of hiding and the owl swooped in on it before it saw the owl coming. It is nesting time for owls in February. So the squirrels life was lost so that young owlets could survive.

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19 Comments

Jacob Gorneau
Jacob Gorneau 11 years ago

Fantastic spotting!

galewhale..Gale
galewhale..Gale 12 years ago

Thanks for your comments every one.
Atul I watched the owl for most of the morning out my office window. It was pretty inactive, eyes closed, or spinning its head around now and then but not moving from its perch for several hours. Suddenly it took off heading straight for the window and next I saw it land with this poor squirrel. Fortunately I was holding my camera.

Ashish Nimkar
Ashish Nimkar 12 years ago

Great spotting..!!

Atul
Atul 12 years ago

wow what a snap u must have been watching the bird for quite some time

AshleyAkers
AshleyAkers 12 years ago

awsome capture!

galewhale..Gale
galewhale..Gale 12 years ago

It is a these moments when the reality is thrust at you, I have trouble with how life is arranged. It is hard not to do something... to just let life take its course.

ScottRasmussen
ScottRasmussen 12 years ago

That's an extremely good shot of a powerful moment. I always feel a little uneasy when I witness a predator catching its prey.

galewhale..Gale
galewhale..Gale 13 years ago

Many thanks!!

animaisfotos
animaisfotos 13 years ago

Definitely one of my favorites ever. A golden moment. Thanks for sharing.

correaman13
correaman13 13 years ago

Amazing.

alicelongmartin
alicelongmartin 13 years ago

Fascinating story, shows you have a heart!

Carolina
Carolina 13 years ago

Incredibly amazing!

galewhale..Gale
galewhale..Gale 13 years ago

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-na...

I guess spotted owls are being threatened by Barred owls... thanks for the link!

galewhale..Gale
galewhale..Gale 13 years ago

Thanks ... fixed it

Dale
Dale 13 years ago

Great shot! By the way, the location is Unknown and points to the ocean.

galewhale..Gale
galewhale..Gale 13 years ago

Thanks eularubio, peter and lori!

It was very tough to watch. Had to keep telling myself that the squirrel traded its life for the Barred Owl's chicks. Ironically it helped to have a camera between me and the "decisiveness" of this moment. Made it more abstract somehow.

lori.tas
lori.tas 13 years ago

What a great "decisive moment" photo.

peter
peter 13 years ago

I can't believe you captured this moment!

eulalia rubio
eulalia rubio 13 years ago

Very good picture.

galewhale..Gale
Spotted by
galewhale..Gale

Maine, USA

Spotted on Feb 9, 2009
Submitted on Jan 1, 2011

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