I went out back to leave offerings to the regular night critters at 2000 hrs on DEC 1. While rounding the building I sensed something big flying from the balcony just over my head. By the time I was tracking it, it decided to land on the flagpole in the backyard, roughly 16 feet or so off the ground. I blinked... And couldn't believe it. It was dark but I instantly knew I had a barred owl. I froze for a bit and then slowly retrieved the phone from my back pocket to grab some voucher pictures. After several pics and minutes of me watching it, and it watching me, I took two steps closer and he retreated to the tall trees in my neighbor's yard. So, while the picture quality wasn't there, you can tell WHO it is... (See what I did there?). The closest even marginal habitat is several miles away.

I'm taking that as another sign that the rewilding is working! 😉

Sometimes the smallest, briefest moments feel like gifts from the universe. Good catch!

I can only imagine how thrilling that was to see. I've yet to see a real owl myself, I'm envious!

They're not known to move great distances typically so I'm hoping for regular sightings... And hopefully some serious mouse reductions in the yard!

NMoasis said: Sometimes the smallest, briefest moments feel like gifts from the universe. Good catch!

Coincidentally, last night we had a barred owl calling from behind our yard in the big trees, not more than a couple hundred feet from the bedroom window. Rare treat here, So nice. The big trees are just a few, between our old development and the new one- we are close to scraps of forest that have chewed away in the last few decades. So we hear a barred or a great horned maybe once in a year if lucky.
I too hope that my wild-friendly practices, such as they are on a half acre, help make that happen.