spotted these guys in my back yard

[1LtCAP 4,262]

yesterday around dusk'ish.....then today while i was doing yard work. i couldn't get very close....the one took off when i got within 40 or 50 ft....the other one pretty much refused to move, but i wanted a couple pics...so i zoomed in rather than trying to get right up on him.

 

[1LtCAP 4,262]

can't get the pic with both of em to upload.....

[voyager9 3,434]

That’s cool.  
This guy was chilling in my driveway a while ago..

[High Exposure 5,664]

56 minutes ago, 1LtCAP said:

yesterday around dusk'ish.....then today while i was doing yard work. i couldn't get very close....the one took off when i got within 40 or 50 ft....the other one pretty much refused to move, but i wanted a couple pics...so i zoomed in rather than trying to get right up on him.

 

Sweet. Barred Owls. We hear them here late at night (Who cooks for you)

Never get to see them during the day, just some eye shine at night.

43 minutes ago, voyager9 said:

That’s cool.  
This guy was chilling in my driveway a while ago..

Great Horned Owl! Very cool.

[1LtCAP 4,262]

9 hours ago, High Exposure said:

Sweet. Barred Owls. We hear them here late at night (Who cooks for you)

Never get to see them during the day, just some eye shine at night.

Great Horned Owl! Very cool.

10 hours ago, voyager9 said:

That’s cool.  
This guy was chilling in my driveway a while ago..

nice!!

[1LtCAP 4,262]

9 hours ago, High Exposure said:

Sweet. Barred Owls. We hear them here late at night (Who cooks for you)

Never get to see them during the day, just some eye shine at night.

Great Horned Owl! Very cool.

i've been hearing them in the area for awhile now. usually i hear them behind the house across the street, or down the street or across the lake(what's left of the lake anyway). saturday, i was hearing them REALLY loud, and was able to pinpoint the call to the area right behind my house. it took me a bit to spot them. i'm guessing there's possibly mice in my wood pile. hopefully they're eating them. i've got voles in the yard too, so again, hopefully they're eating them. i looked online to see how i could lure them into the yard, and it seems that only their natural prey will work. i wanted to get it to the point where these guys aren't afraid of me.

[CMJeepster 2,778]

Nature's pest control.  Circle of life.  Neat!

[Displaced Texan 11,739]

We have a pretty large owl that lives in our backyard. He’s massive. Probably a great horned owl(?). 
I saw him flying between trees the other morning. Gorgeous bird. 
 

 

Owls of any species are very cool, and very interesting critters! 

[1LtCAP 4,262]

and it's amazing how quiet they are when they fly. the one that took off was 100% silent.

[Displaced Texan 11,739]

Years ago, I was hunting at the ranch in a tower blind. 
Just before dawn, I heard something land on the top of my blind. I knew something was up there, but I didn’t know what it was. 
And just after sunrise, it took off.

Absolutely silent. A big assed owl. I bet this guy had a 5’ wingspan. 

[LiveWire 14]

Since we're showing off our owls, we have a couple of Eastern Screech owls hanging around. If you go outside before daylight, you can hear them calling. Not very big at all, maybe 10".

[CMJeepster 2,778]

7 minutes ago, LiveWire said:

Since we're showing off our owls, we have a couple of Eastern Screech owls hanging around. If you go outside before daylight, you can hear them calling. Not very big at all, maybe 10".

I had one of those fly into my garage recently.  It hung out for about 30 minutes, then found its way out.  Scared the crap out of me when I went to get a beer!

[1LtCAP 4,262]

2 hours ago, LiveWire said:

Since we're showing off our owls, we have a couple of Eastern Screech owls hanging around. If you go outside before daylight, you can hear them calling. Not very big at all, maybe 10".

that's pretty dam cool.

 

 i'm hoping they hang around. keep the mice outta my woodpile yaknow?

[Mr.Stu 1,918]

You know, you guys now have a perfect excuse to get NVGs.

[1LtCAP 4,262]

5 minutes ago, Mr.Stu said:

You know, you guys now have a perfect excuse to get NVGs.

you seen the prices??

[Mr.Stu 1,918]

18 minutes ago, 1LtCAP said:

you seen the prices??

Sounds like a you problem 

[High Exposure 5,664]

55 minutes ago, 1LtCAP said:

you seen the prices??

Yep - Lowest they’ve been in years.

[1LtCAP 4,262]

28 minutes ago, High Exposure said:

Yep - Lowest they’ve been in years.

 

1 hour ago, Mr.Stu said:

Sounds like a you problem 

still well outta my range for the good stuff.

[1LtCAP 4,262]

not hearing my new buddies out there tonight.

 

 side note.........what are recommendations for night vision now?

[Displaced Texan 11,739]

Thermal for detection. NVG for target ID.