Pair of lovelies

#62 - BlipBigYear 2014

The first and only time I had seen this species was one year ago, during our local migratory bird festival, Godwit Days. It was such a fulfilling experience that I signed up for the field trip again this year. This is a pair of Northern Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis caurina), which reside on private property owned by timber giant Green Diamond. The company owns over 300,000 acres of forest across northern California and is responsible for extensive monitoring and research of this soon-to-be critically endangered subspecies. For each day of the festival they bring small groups out to mated pairs on their property to enhance awareness of the birds and the research they're doing to try to save them. Spotted Owls are notoriously curious and, to hear owl biologists tell it, truly magical. This pair has been together for over a year and may attempt their first nest this year or the next.