Evening stroll

Lately we've been walking in the evenings to bird watch and catch the sunset.  There has been a pair of red-tailed hawks in an area planted with cottonwood trees, some of these housing a few noticeably large nests.  They were flying about again tonight.  

A great horned owl has been hoo-h’HOO-hoo-hoo-ing in that same area, and tonight we finally caught a glimpse.  About twenty minutes after the sun went behind the hills, we heard its territorial hooting.  Having finally remembered to bring binoculars, we scanned the trees and found it.  Not wishing to disturb it or change its behavior, we quietly walked around the block to get a better view, never getting closer than a hundred yards or so.  Last weekend we spotted one at the very top of a tree as the stars came out and felt its glare as we passed by trying to stay as quiet as possible.  

I love that the bird life here (and in Utah in general) is pretty prolific.  Tim and I are eagerly awaiting the return of the hummingbirds, swallows, and songbirds that migrated before winter.  That being written, we never tire of the common ones that reside year-round - robins, European starlings, mourning doves, and ravens among others.  

This was the only birdie I managed to photograph before we lost the light.  I joked that he was flirting with us as he kept up quite a racket while flitting about in this tree.