Northern Saw-whet Owl

I have spent a fair amount of time over the last few years either listening for, or looking for Saw-whets with little success. Although I may have heard them once or twice I was never lucky enough to see one. That changed on March 10 this year on a day when it was probably one of the last things on my mind.  A day not long after the biggest snowfall of the year when I was really only interested in getting out of the house and going for a walk.

The bird was basically sleeping when I found it and while I took many images I wasn't completely happy with any of them. I returned a few hours later to discover the owl had moved and after locating it again was able to capture a few more photos of a little more active bird as the sun went down.

In hindsight it was a location that made sense for it to be in. On the south facing side of the old rail bed it was one of the only places where the snow had melted away enough to provide an area where mice would be visible for a hunting owl.