The alarm goes off at eight o'clock. I sit up and am mildly concerned that I will be late for work. Then I realize it's Saturday and I have a mission. Travel to the Leslie Street Spit in search of owls. I pack my gear and hop in the car. When I arrive the gates are still locked so I park on the road and made for the woods. I was filled with a sense of childlike wonderment at the thought of photographing my first owl. I scoured trees and zoomed in on anything I thought might be one, but the elusive creatures they are I knew it would not be so simple. I had already been walking almost an hour and all I had seen was a Red Tailed Hawk and some ducks. I traversed side trail after side trail to no luck and, even talked to one of the conservation Rangers in hopes of getting a lead. He told me they were around but he was yet to see any today. Eventually I made my way to the end of the Spit. The snow was now starting to fall and it was time to head back to the car. I ventured down a few more side trails and ran into a birding couple. They informed me that less then 10 minutes ago they had seen a Long-eared owl. The gave my directions and I was off with a renewed sense of purpose. I followed the path they told me about and as I turned the corner there was the conservation ranger. He simply pointed and there he was. My first owl. He was not phased by our presence at all. I snapped as many photo's as I deemed necessary and thanked the Ranger and the owl for the experience. The cold weather no longer phased me as I walked back to the car. What a magical morning. Hopefully this will be the first of many owl encounters for my camera and me.
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