Tuesday, April 16, 2013

March 365 Photo Project


March was a slow month for photos since I spent a good part of the month traveling to outreach programs, and then on my days off bad weather limited my photo opportunities. However, I did manage to come up with a few photos worth sharing. 

Wild Barn Owl in the woods behind my apartment
The first photo was a complete surprise.  Every year for the last three years WBS has had a wild Barn Owl that visits our captive Barn Owls for a few days, and then goes on its way.  Over the years many staff members have seen it.  I have gone looking for this bird many times in the past and have had no luck--then there was this year!

As I was getting ready to leave for an out of town program I left my apartment with hands full, and suddenly saw a pair of big light brown wings fly away.  I dropped everything, grabbed the camera and binoculars out of my bag, and keeping my eyes on the bird further out in the woods, I spied a beautiful Barn Owl.  I quickly took a handful of photos, then called Catherine Redfern, WBS’s development coordinator, so that she could see a wild American Barn Owl.  Then I called Jeff Meshach, WBS’s director, and he had a chance to see the bird in time for it to fly further into the woods.  This Barn Owl was seen at least one other time by Catherine, so we know it stuck around for a few days and then most likely moved on.

The next two photos were taken up in Hastings Minnesota at Carpenter Nature Center during my short snowshoe hike.  The day was very sunny with mild temperatures and a good amount of snow, so great for snowshoeing.  I have tried this only twice, and both times was at Carpenter Nature Center.  I can tell you that if I lived up north I would totally take up snowshoeing.  It is so much fun. 
Snowshoeing is a great way to get winter photos
I took a few very pretty scenery shots.  The first shot is looking out over a field with twin oak trees--very pretty. 
See if you can spot the eagle nest in this photo
The next was a shot looking over the frozen river.  If you look closely you can see a dot in the photo that is a Bald Eagle nest, which brings me to the last photo that is a Bald Eagle sitting on the nest.
Bald Eagle on a nest

Submitted by Cathy Spahn , World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

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