Spotted Owl

We have some wonderful guests who visit us at The Azure Gate each year. They enjoy finding and photographing birds. I had told them about the hummingbirds of Miller Canyon, which is very likely the best spot for hummers in the US. I have photographed 12 different hummingbird species in Miller Canyon. And, a thirteenth -- Lucifer Hummingbird can be seen there at times as well. But, as our story goes, when our guests went day before yesterday, they also found a Spotted Owl. The first Spotted Owl I saw was in Canada (Hosli Lake in British Columbia) in the late 1980's. I could reach out and touch it from the driver's side of my Jeep. But, this was before I got into photography. The second time was in the same general area a couple years later, after I had bought a camera. I took several photos, none of which came out very well. I was still too cautious about wasting film.  For the last five years or so, I have been hiking in Sheelite Canyon where a pair of Spotted Owls have been seen. However, I have never had any luck finding them. So, after I got over my envy, I decided that a trip to Miller Canyon to find the elusive Spotted Owl was in order. So, that is what we did yesterday. However, we started out on the wrong trail. Trails are usually identified as easy, moderate, or strenuous. In this case there needed to be a new descriptive level -- something like extremely incredibly dangerously strenuous.  In fact, the "trail" became so undeveloped (almost bushwhacking) I began thinking this wasn't a hiker's trail, but an animal trail. Finally, Christine pronounced that this couldn't possibly be the trail to the Spotted Owl. I suspect the fact that we had met some 90 year old birders at the trailhead that had just come from seeing the Spotted Owl led to her conclusion. So, back down the mountain we came, saw some other people who put us onto the correct trail -- still quite a bit uphill, but definitely a trail. When we reached the spot where the Spotted Owl had been spotted (sorry) he was not there. But, we continued up the trail a couple hundred yards and found him in a tree just along the trail. Some folks came behind us, panting and nearly out of breath. They took a one look and headed back down the mountain. But, the owl's head wasn't toward us. I thought: sit down relax, catch your breath, and in a few minutes (or more) the owl will turn and you'll be able to see his face. Which is what we did. It didn't take long, maybe 15 minutes. And then viola! Finally, after 25 years a Spotted Owl photo I can feel good about.