Wild Visitor

I was alone in the deserted Snow Bear lodge, but I thought I heard someone moving around, and on the assumption it was the landlord, I went looking for him.  Instead I found this golden-eyed beauty perched on the rear balcony.

A brief web search indicates that this is a Great Horned Owl, though if any informed strigiphiles care to correct me, they are welcome.

The owl made to fly away as I rounded the corner, but as soon as he realized I wasn’t advancing on him, he settled down and settled for keeping me under observation.

I chatted with him in a low voice, and told him that he was on the wrong side of the building, because the ground squirrels were very active out front, in the parking lot.

Occasionally he’d tip me a long, slow wink, as if he realized he was in on the joke.

Other than a pod— flock?— of four mule deer, (and of course the ground squirrels) this was about it for nature this time around.  The snow seemed to have driven everything to sunnier climes, or at least their dens.

Nevertheless I enjoyed three lengthy trail hikes in the sunny weather, though I stuck to lower trails where last week’s snow had (mostly) melted.

Now I’m back, and have returned to the daily—  if not hourly—  grind.