Short-eared Owl / Asio flammeus

Did everyone remember to set their clocks forward an hour? I totally forgot - a good job I didn't have an appointment or something. This morning, too, I have had the Blue Screen of Death twice! Both times, I was on Facebook. Again hardly any photos being posted by My Contacts on Flickr.

This was a totally accidental shot, taken on 14 February 2019, with my old Canon SX60, which I hadn't used for ages. When I took the first few shots, I could tell something was happening inside my camera, rather like a camera set on burst (which I never use). However, this was different and when I reviewed the photos, I discovered that I must have caught the dial somehow and it was on a different setting. The result was a set of six completely different images, every one now deleted except for two of them.

This encounter was one that gave us the opportunity to take some reasonable photos. I was so happy, as I had longed to see a Short-eared Owl on a close fence post for several years. Can't say I'm exactly enjoying posting any owl photo though, after the last eight or nine unpleasant days, but I do want to add any OK images to my albums. In case any local photographers just happen to read this, apparently the RCMP have been called out to the area several times because of the number of people and cars. I haven’t been out there since 27 February.

This is what I wrote under a previously posted photo taken at the same time:

"On 14 February, I was so lucky. Friend, Pam, phoned to see if I'd like to go with her for a quick drive east of the city. I hadn't been expecting to get out for a few days, as I had a cortisone injection in my left hip the previous day and one is supposed to rest for a few days. Another 10 days and I get a shot in the other hip. I wasn't going to drive anywhere, but being driven and no walking sounded just too nice to turn down. We also both knew that snow was in the forecast for the next two or three days.

We were very lucky with an owl sighting and this one flew to a fairly close fence post - and just stayed there. Looks like a bit of its most recent snack of Meadow Vole was still on the tip of its beak.

The temperature was a few degrees "less cold" than the previous 12 or so days. However, it was still SOOOO cold, so photos were taken with gloved hands. Two weeks of deep freeze has not been enjoyable, to say the least. This morning, 15 February, it is "only" -20C (windchill -25C) and snow fell overnight.

Many thanks, Pam H, for the invite and this absolute treat! So much appreciated."

Our deep-freeze, that has lasted many weeks, has finally broken! Today, 9 March 2019, the temperature is -4C (windchill) -8C. This coming week, highs are supposed to be 0C and above. We might get some snow on a couple of the days.