Barred Owls

     Tonight I had the opportunity to go to a local park and see some owls called in by an Ohio naturalist. I had been planning to attend since Friday in hopes of adding a few species to my life list, as well as getting (hopefully) some good photographs. So tonight I arrived at the park at 7:00, right before it was due to start. In a few moments, the program began. After listening to the naturalist speak for about twenty minutes about owls, the large group of people that had assembled in hopes of seeing some owls trekked down a trail as a recording of barred owl calls was played. The first 15 minutes or so proved fruitless, but after turning and proceeding in the opposite direction down the path, someone amongst the group spotted an owl perched on a branch some distance into the woods. The group came to a halt and the recording of a barred owl was played once again. In a moment, the bird flew in closer, and lights were shone upon the bird to identify it. It was a barred owl (naturally). As the recording continued to play, the bird flew in closer yet, eventually perching in a tree right beside the trail. Sevral seconds later, a second barred owl flew in and perched beside the first owl. The two immediately began making a ruckus, one flapping it's wings at the other. This spectacle only lasted for a brief moment before the second owl flew off, and a short while later the first owl followed suit. One more species on the life list! These were the only owls that the group spotted. Below are sevral photos.

I was able to snap a few clear (though not outstanding) photos of the first owl: