Like so many of you this winter, we’ve had a few incredibly cold days over the last little while. The nights have been even worse. Last Friday, shortly after the post about the birds that have been visiting our feeder was published, I saw a new bird for the first time–a little owl.
Unfortunately, the sighting was a sad one. The cold had been too much for this little guy. He was dead.
He was a beautiful, fascinating creature–his multi-toned feathers, his pointy ears, his curved beak. I wish I’d been able to see him alive. I’ve heard owls around the farm, but I’ve never seen one.
I was surprised how small he was. His feathers were so fluffy that they deceived me into thinking he was much bigger than I realized. However, under his feathers, he was truly a very little guy. No wonder the cold was too much for him.
Home on 129 Acres 
Aww. Poor little guy. What a beautiful creature! I hope you see a live one soon.
We’ve recently had a barred owl in our garden. They are quite a bit bigger, also lovely looking, and with some very interesting hoots. I love owls. So wild and incredible!
That’s great that you got to see one.
So it goes . . . As I was walking through the New York Botanical Garden (where I’m a member and volunteer) the other day, with the temperature well below freezing and about a foot of snow on the ground (it’s so beautiful there!), what landed right at my feet but a yellow-rumped warbler! It wasn’t disturbed by me at all – it just wanted to get to some seeds or something on the plowed path. We’d read that these warblers actually over-winter in our area, but boy did that little bird look cold.
I always expect the littler ones to have a harder time in the cold, but the owl–who’s much bigger and fluffier than our usual birds–is the only one I’ve seen who’s died.
How very sad. Owls always fascinate me, I think because it is so rare to see one around here. They are so beautiful!
Yes, I think that’s it exactly. It’s rare to see them, so they’re mysterious and captivating.
Poor thing.
That’s what I felt too.
Aw, this makes me so sad.
Yeah. Me too.