Owl Hunting

After Breakfast back at the Cabin...sat on the bunk and thought a minute...and curled up for a nap....it's hot...it's crowded...short nap!...heavy metal soon came through the walls!...so geared up and took the Bobcat Meadow route to the Post Office...by Chapel Bridge an artist was diligently painting the scene across the Merced...one I've done myself...didn't have an umbrella though...and wondered if he'd seen Owl, as Owl's Cottonwood is in the scene...I went up the near shore aways and used the binocs to see if Owl was home...looked to be...and the YIs were all gathered about the Cottonwood...apparently the guides all know now where Owl is....hmmph...after their lookseee, they all went to the River's edge to get their feet wet...and raise an all mighty ruckus!...this was too much, and I paddled over to tell them all to quiet down...with the artist's approval!..."Owls are sensitive to sounds!'....dont know but of late I've become more sensitive to sounds my ownself!...they were courteous and moved up stream....but I feel a sense of dread for Owl...the Tree is in such a public place...and the high water has moved the place folks sit and walk by the river much too near the Tree!...anyway, already by the Tree, I went over to the Ponderosas and used the minididgi for some pics...Owl was back inside the Bowl..couldn't see the babies...picked up and went to the Post Office...had a hot dog at the Grill...and shuttled back to the Cabin for another nap...it's hot...and crowded...woke up to the noisy talky puzzlement of the neighbors trying to figure out what's gone wrong with the TV cable connect...much bangity bang door opening and closing...geared up...this time with the Barska scope along...and went back to the Ponderosas and set up....Barska scope works a little better...and much better to just view through it!...the Owls are very cool...watched a long while...until light left Half Dome...heard probably Papa Owl over in Owl Woods hoo hooing...but Mama Owl was quiet... with light almost gone. Owl flew towards me and perched in a Cottonwood...flew again to the Ponderosas...which I didn't know, until I had picked up and was headed to Swinging Bridge...and more wet feet!...and Owl swooped out of the Pines and landed in a darkly seen Cottonwood ahead...I approached that one with hope of a pic...and Owl obliged and flew right to the Burned Snag Tree...Zeke's Perch!...see clip...all handheld as I was afraid to miss Owl's flight exchanging the 12x with the scope on the tripod...Owl flew right down to Owl Beach!...and walked about..would have liked to have gone over closer...but too much growth between...I went back to Chapel Bridge...being quiet as I could...from seeing them in the scope, I knew the Baby Owls were up there watching and listening...one of my favorite Cottonwoods has fallen over, the one I have clip of Coop perched in on Xmas Eve...like the Black Oaks, the Cottonwoods dont seem to be regenerating...meaning to search that out for a post!...sunny blue with puff clouds and haze and hot...it cooled off in the evening...thanks, Nick, for visiting!