Surprise!

I saw him from across the trail. Immediately, our eyes locked into a dreamy trance. I froze in fear of disrupting the moment. Slowly, ever so slowly, I positioned my phone so I could capture the moment. I snapped a few lovely photos of just the foliage. Try again. He continued to oblige with an intense gaze. I wondered if he was just an effigy planted in the woods. A momentary blink of the eyes indicated otherwise. Attempt number three. Success. Miraculously, my feathered friend remained unmoved. We shared a few more moments in the woods with the sun trickling splashes of light around us. Reluctantly, it was time to let my friend remain alone in his natural habitat. I was an interloper. Time to ease my way down the trail.

This is the time of year in the upper plains when I say good-bye to most of the fall migrating birds. No more White-crowned Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows and Harris's Sparrows. My chunky Fox Sparrow friends aren't scratching in the duff anymore and the diminutive warblers have continued southward to warmer climes. I confess that I expect to see only the usual winter suspects this time of year. I do not expect to be surprised. Thus the reason my heart beat just a little faster when I locked eyes with an owl during a mid-afternoon outing last week.

I post most of my bird sightings on e-bird, a citizen science platform for recording bird data from around the world. I hesitated to include the photo of my owl. Photos are not required and I was a bit unsure of the identification of Mr. Hoot. Generally, there are four tufted owls in our area. The Eastern Screech Owl is a smaller, somewhat scruffy owl. The Short-eared Owl lives up to its name with compact tufts. The Long-eared Owl, according to my bird guide, is less likely to be in our area this time of year. And the big-daddy is the Great-horned owl.

After much analysis, I identified Mr. Hoot as a Great-horned Owl and hit post. It did not take long for me to receive a response from one of e-bird's regional experts, Nancy D. I had met her on one of our bird club outings and knew that she worked in the field, collecting avian data from Madagascar to the Badlands of South Dakota. She knows her stuff.

Nancy identified Mr. Hoot as a Long-eared Owl. She pointed out the identifying features so I would know what to look for next time, oh what faith she had in me. I thanked her for her help and immediately edited my e-bird post. Because a Long-eared Owl is considered a sensitive sighting in our area, the post will remain hidden to the public. What a delicious surprise for me, however.

I continue to enjoy my winter companions. American Tree Sparrows are as chatty as ever and flocks of Juncos floof up from the dried prairie grass as I walk along the trail. I do not expect to be particularly astonished by my sightings in the winter months. But, every so often, a bird will lock eyes with me and ignite a renewed sense of wonderment.

Happy Winter Birding!