December 20

Good Morning

Imagine! 

You are exploring snow-covered back-country roads in Northern Alberta. Inside the truck, it is cold, as you have turned off the heater to avoid heat waves from taking photographs out of your window into the -20°C crisp winter air. After searching for a few hours, you finally see a silhouette of the elusive Northern-hawk Owl. It is your first sighting in 20 months. You drive closer and take a couple of shots. As you cautiously step out, the owl holds you in a silent stare and then ignores you as it continues to pursue a meal.  It flies along the side of the road from tree to tree, scanning for voles hidden in the snow.

It returns to the tallest pine tree and waits. You wait, holding your camera up, focused on the owl, hoping to capture a flight shot. The wait is too long. Your camera drops to your side as your arms start to shake. A cloud of snow appears behind a rise in the road; a truck is approaching. You move to the side of the road to avoid becoming road kill.

After the truck pasts, you turn back just in time to see the owl diving down off the top of the tree. As it approaches the ground, it swiftly turns toward you and silently glides across the road just above eye level. Your eyes lock as it skims past your head and you spin to watch it fly off into the distance. A grin grows ear to ear as your brain begins to process what just happened. 

Magic!

Stay Well!