I was mountain biking along a scenic ridge the other day when I was startled by some large and noisy animal on the ground, just a few feet in front of me. A deer would have been a good guess. There is nothing exciting about a deer, but I didn't want myself or the bike to get kicked by those snapping hoofs.
It was no deer. It was a large owl that took off from ground level. Well, we've all seen an owl at one time in our lives, but I've never seen one that close. Its big head reminded me of a small football helmet. I didn't see the specific place where it landed, but it might have been at the tree where a half dozen small birds started screaming bloody murder.
It certainly would have been a pleasure to photograph this owl, but it would have taken a helmet mounted video camera. I knew of a mountain biker who did that.
Long-suffering readers know that I am always railing against the perverted aesthetic of nature that is common in our society. I know what made this owl impressive: give the credit to a teacup yorkie who lives in my RV park. Every couple days I cross paths with him and try to win him as a friend, but he lacks confidence. Somebody was joking that he was real owl-bait. Indeed. And it was the horror of that image that made the experience of seeing the owl memorable and interesting to me.
It was no deer. It was a large owl that took off from ground level. Well, we've all seen an owl at one time in our lives, but I've never seen one that close. Its big head reminded me of a small football helmet. I didn't see the specific place where it landed, but it might have been at the tree where a half dozen small birds started screaming bloody murder.
It certainly would have been a pleasure to photograph this owl, but it would have taken a helmet mounted video camera. I knew of a mountain biker who did that.
Long-suffering readers know that I am always railing against the perverted aesthetic of nature that is common in our society. I know what made this owl impressive: give the credit to a teacup yorkie who lives in my RV park. Every couple days I cross paths with him and try to win him as a friend, but he lacks confidence. Somebody was joking that he was real owl-bait. Indeed. And it was the horror of that image that made the experience of seeing the owl memorable and interesting to me.
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