Owl adventure

Boreal owls are known to come into the US along the Rocky Mountains, in the Great Lakes region, and sometimes at the New England border with Canada.  A small population has been observed in Colorado at Cameron Pass (10,276 ft) along Highway 14.  I was lucky to join the adventure.  This trip was organized by the Colorado State University student Bird Club, who invited members of Denver Field Ornithology to come along.
     We arrived at the parking area and started a 2.5 mile snow-shoe hike along Michigan Ditch Rd before dusk.  The snow was firm  "corn snow"  and we did not sink in much.  Estimating by the drifts along the short bit of plowed road, the snow was 4 feet deep.  As the sun set we had beautiful views to the north of the Never Summer range.  A Pine Grosbeak sang briefly from the top of a Fir tree.
     The group of fast hikers met the slow hikers at a trail junction and we had dinner together.  The group split into 3 small groups to watch at each of 3 potential nest cavities.  No action.  Leaders cautiously played a recording, and received a response.  We returned to the trail junction.  A Boreal Owl swooped in on silent wings and sat in a Spruce looking at the 22 humans who had invaded her territory.  It was an amazing experience to see a beautiful owl watching us.
     In complete darkness we hiked out with head-lamps, thinking of the Boreal Owl we had just seen.   Photo here is from Internet. I did not take any photos that night.
    

photo of me during the snow-shoe hike.  Karen's old wooden  BearPaw snow shoes created much discussion.  The metal  "foot fangs"  on the bottoms were quite helpful.

We had a few flurries of icy snow as we were standing around listening for the owl.  



I am glad the owl trip was last weekend because this weekend the bird trip is cancelled / postponed because of a big snowstorm blowing in tonight with about 6 inches forecasted.