Great Horned Owl in Virginia
I was quite surprised recently when I pulled into our driveway and had a group of Robins, Blue Jays, and other birds scolding loudly about 30 feet away. I expected to find one of the local hawks or a snake, but was rewarded instead with this Great Horned Owl. We have had a few glimpses of one near our house, but in the 20 years we have lived here, this was the first close, unobstructed view. A couple of days later, this bird or anohter flew up from our pond as I was taking out the recycling early in the morning. It also perched in plain view.
A few weeks earlier I had heard what I thought was a young Great Horned Owl making noises that sounded like a dog yelping in pain. This occurred for several evenings a little after it got dark. The calls moved quickly around the neighborhood.
August 26, 2014. Rockingham County, Virginia.