Owling

Fans, we went owling tonight and we saw TWO owls--!!!!! A great horned owl and either that same owl again, or a barred owl as well. We don't know because excitement was high at the moment of each spottings and we were absorbed in trying to describe where they were in the trees to the bambini which distracted us from listening to our guide. But we know that a pair of great horned owls live at our nature center, together with a barred owl. Apparently great horns will often prey on barred owls but these three have made a non-aggression pact and have shared this bit of woods happily for years.

We were at the nature center in early evening but the sun had set so we were seeing the owls in silhouette, which is why it was tough for the bambini to spot them in the trees-. The bambini were looking for brown feathers, maybe a white face. But the bambini had them for sure when the owls took off.

We learned all manner of cool owl facts. The family favorite was the secret of owls' silent flight demonstrated with wings from a found-dead red tailed hawk (loud) and also found-dead great horned owl (silent): the leading edge of a owl's feathers are fringed, making the air move over them differently thus allowing owls to be utterly silent.

It was actually sort of amazing that we saw an owl, let alone two, since we were to be quiet as mice (which, by the way, owls can hear under the snow--!!!!!), which is a tall order for about eight young kids and their 12 or so shushing chaperones.

At the end of the hike, we made s'mores and Ranger Dude Mark read us Owl Moon. By that point, 

our toes were cold, especially Birdie's. (The deep freeze has broken, but it's still December in
Minnesota.) So we hurried to Bronzie and scooted home where, after the Birds had stood in a tub of warm water, we all piled into the big bed where we read Owl Moon again, and Knuffle Bunny Two.

So we had owls, moons, snuggles, books, and each other. That's so many of our favorite things! As Birdie might say, it was moony.