I knew my birding afternoon was off to a good start when two Barred Owls flew in front of my car. I had really good looks as they made their way into the trees. I saw one and it was followed by another. I'm not sure how territorial these owls are during the winter months and one may have been chasing the other away.

This is one of the three Barred Owls I saw in the afternoon. I was quite surprised to see a Barred Owl, a nocturnal bird, out and about during the day. Conditions were overcast so that might have played a part. This one was very active and hunting so it was likely very hungry.

I've never seen a Barred Owl hunt before so this was a treat. Perched only twenty feet in front of me the owl looked intently below, its gaze fixated on a snowbank in the ditch. Suddenly it dropped straight down almost like a Great Gray Owl does. Its wings were spread on top of the snow. As it flew away I could clearly see a rodent in its beak. Perched in a tree it consumed its catch swallowing it whole.

Later in the day I saw my third Barred Owl of the afternoon perched in the open along a road I had seen Barred Owls in previous weeks.