Nearly cloudless skies provided for unrelenting sunshine this morning. Not even the hint of a breeze made the 57 degree temperature feel a bit warm as we started out at 6:15.
Owls Save the Day
Bird photography was quite lackluster this morning with the single highlight of a young Great Horned Owl perched serenely on a tree branch. I was attracted to this particular tree by the sight of another horned owl flying in under heavy bombardment from a number of smaller birds. The beleaguered owl took cover on a branch covered with heavy foliage and so was impossible to photograph. Fortunately the pictured owl was there to fill the gap. I have only ever once gotten an image of an owl in flight. I waited around a little to see if one or the other of these two would take wing but neither did.
I did happen upon some blooming wildflowers this morning and they are the featured image of the day (above.) Internet research leads me to believe that these flowers are commonly called Yellow Fleabane.
Sightings:
Birds: Starlings, Swallows, Osprey, Cormorants, Canada Geese, Barn Swallow, Robin, Flicker, Mourning Dove, Mallard Ducks, Great Horned Owl, Red-tail Hawk (possible)
Critters: Mule Deer, Squirrel