Sunday, September 20, 2009

Rick Greenspun's Great Gray Owl: FINALLY!


WOW WOW WOW!!


Bird Friends, the title tells it all. After many years and many fruitless pursuits. I have finally seen my number one wish list bird, the Great Gray Owl, thanks to a posting I saw on the Idaho birdlist serve on the 17th of August. We drove from Spokane, WA to Donnelly, Idaho so I could try for the owl this evening. When I initially saw it on the post with wings spread and from a distance, I thought it was much too big to be a bird. It was very cooperative and allowed me to snap away from about 60 feet and sporadically dove into the field for mice, not paying the least bit of attention to me. What a magnificent creature. I wish each and every one of you was with me when I saw it (you were in spirit). I damn near cried from the beauty of it.

So what’s next after THAT??? Siberian Bluethroats in Nome, Bristle-thighed Curlew on the Dalton Hwy. or Pechora Pipits in Adak. Who knows….That’s what makes birding so exciting.

One excited birder, Rick Greenspun

(from Rick Greenspun’s summer travelogue)

1 comment:

  1. Rick, I'm so excited you finally saw your bird! He/she is a beauty! We enjoyed your writings all summer.

    ReplyDelete