Barred Owl in the Everglades

We went to the Everglades! Because each trail was so unique and had such varied wildlife, we decided that each trail deserves its own post. Although it is June and very hot, there was no shortage of birds to be found today. So armed with full-body coverage to ward off the swarms of angry mosquitoes, flies, and many more insects I have never seen before, we spent the day in search of feathered friends.

One of the first stops we made was at a Mangrove canopy near the Anhinga trail. The sign advertised, Barred Owl! Well, we weren't too optimistic about seeing owls in the middle of the summer in the middle of the day. But its pretty hard to be disappointed exploring the Everglades. Even driving into the park, there were herons, Anhingas and blackbirds flying and snooping around in the agricultural fields right outside the park entrance.

So you say!

It had recently rained in Florida, and so there was quite a bit of green vegetation, including scattered flowers of various sorts.






 I will admit, we pretty much ready to give up on every single trail we went on today because of the swarms of hostile insects! Somehow, they bit us through our hiking boots, and socks. But even after a few minutes, we were rewarded by several cheerful cardinals, and several Red-Bellied woodpeckers swinging around on the airplants and calling to each-other in the mangrove trees.

Taking a break, so fluffy.

We had almost finished the entire trail and contemplating lunch when a brown shape swooped up in front of the trial and scared the whoozles out of us (I pretty much assume almost everything in the Everglades is an alligator, because, there are a lot of alligators). But then- we realized it was an OWL!! A barred owl! He didn't seem too perturbed to see us, and immediately swooped down and caught...something.

Hunting...looking...

 

Pounce!

Eating a...lizard? Bug? Snake? Something.

Almost sleepy.

 That was pretty neat. He kind of hung out for awhile, but got spooked by a screeching hawk chasing around some crows in the canopy. Sir owl stayed out of the commotion.

Scraaaaawww!

]

What?

What is going on up thar!?

No concern of mine.