After being in my home now over 25 years and watching the wildlife, especially the birds for all that time I'm always amazed when something new pops in for a visit.  Now this little bird isn't new as I marked in my bird book that I had a visit in 2005.  Now 13 years later another sighting.  The first photo isn't very clear but was to make sure to see the bars on the wings.  This is a lazuli bunting which I mistook early in the season for one of the 3 types of bluebirds we have around!  Go figure!

A few weeks ago in the evening I was headed out to do something in the travel trailer and saw a gigantic bird of some sorts land in the neighbors pine tree oh probably 50 yards from my driveway.   As you know earlier in the spring I had a big ol' rough legged hawk land on the top of one of my trees so I thought that was what  it was.  In for the big camera to be able to see what it was (anyone else use their giant camera zoom lens as a spotting scope?).   I was SHOCKED to see....

Did you see the Mom in the first picture?   This dude or dudette was learning the ropes and honestly I had to laugh because s/he was having a heck of a time with the landing in branches!   Then I came back in the house, went out to the back and closed off the gate to the back acreage.   I have had too many friends with stories of small dogs being snatched by owls (and their cats too).   Till I could fix up a barricade that allowed the poodles up there but none of the small dogs.    I will for the summer keep an eye on the little dogs and the trees around the house.   The birds of prey in general right now are feeding babies and really hanging out - due to the over abundance of freaking gophers that the idiot across the road didn't take care of in his horse pasture.   

Still I have whined for years that I was never going to get any owl pictures and boom!  Great Horned Owls right out my front door!  :0)