WHO is Out There?

Last night we were trying to get through the rest of a TV show episode we were streaming on Hulu before bedtime when I heard our ducks quacking outside. I paused the TV for a better listen. Sure enough, Aslan, who was inside (downstairs), also heard them and let out one of his barks alerting us that he knew something was up outside that should probably be investigated.

Usually, it's a clear sign there is a potential predator in the vicinity when all your ducks stand up like bowling pins!

Sam let Aslan outside while looking around the surrounding area with the spot light, but she couldn't see any other signs of unwelcome visitors. Lately, we've had coyotes making an appearance on our property, so that is currently our usual first guess.

The air also had a particular eeriness about it. Earlier in the day the skies had finally cleared up from the smokey wildfire apocalyptic haze we had been experiencing for the last week or more. Now suddenly, this evening, thick smoke had rolled back in again with the winds. I considered the ducks could just be feeling a bit edgy by the strange weather patterns. 

After Sam came back in and I heard the ducks still announcing their general unsettlement, I grabbed the light and tried to peer out the window myself. I spotted something perched on the fence down below, several feet from the ducks' enclosure. "It's an owl!" I exclaimed, with a hint of excitement in my voice. I grabbed my phone and hurried down to the front porch, hoping I could get close enough to capture it on (digital) film before my presence might scare it off. 

For the most part owls likely aren't a real predatory threat for most of our animals. They are probably more interested in mice, rats, moles, etc. Our youngest (i.e. smallest) birds aren't yet free ranging unattended outside their enclosure. Currently everyone was locked up securely for the night, anyway. I didn't envision an owl taking the time to try its hand at breaking and entering. However, this doesn't mean the ducks themselves didn't have a right to feel a bit agitated and uncertain about this silent nighttime visitor. 

Here are a few photos I was able to snap. It looks like it was a Barred Owl (determined after I later Googled it). I was so enamored by the absolute and exquisite beauty of this creature. I believe some of that perceived beauty is likely enhanced by the certain mystique that comes from often remaining hidden from human sight under cover of night. 

I am so pleased the photos turned out in spite of being taken at night, in the dark! (Taken with the Google Pixel 2 for anyone who may be wondering...) I was also able to capture some video so that you'll be able to witness some of the owl's actual movement. Be sure to watch for the part where it flies over to land on another portion of the fence if you'd like to see it in flight. Otherwise, just watching the head turns and bobs and tilts is both adorable and awesome. 

Finally, here are a couple of shots I captured of the moon above our woods on this smokey, windy night:

Just another night here at Pure Amusement Farm -- where there is always something going on!