Owl success at last and here comes the attack of the dillusional stormchasers

After almost 2 years of effort, I can check off the great horned owl on my list of raptors. Tonight almost at the gate of the Stearns county scout camp on CR44 between Clearwater Lake and Fairhaven, MN I finally hit pay dirt. Too bad I didn't find this guy 15 minutes sooner as the sun had already dipped below the horizon behind me.



Here is another shot with the red from the sun below the horizon removed. Now time to go back after looking for the snowy owls.



The moon rising over CR44 as I head for home.



A doe playing the "can't see me" game along Clearwater Lake.

Earlier this morning, Cailyn and I headed out to check a few eagle nests but did swing by to see the smoke gray color phase turkey who was feeding the same field as last weekend.



A few more turkeys heading into the woods after a morning feed. It's good to see the critters fared well over the worst of the winter. The spring thaw will soon be here exposing the ground and food for these guys again.

So, I see the non-veteran recreational chasers have begun the annual GFS watch. I used to be guilty of it. However, some of these people are making themselves look like total fools by jumping all over 7-10 day models. Gawd, show some logic already and quit post/blogging/getting wood over something which likely will never verify. I dunno. Maybe I am just getting older and cranky but I have blocked more "chasers" on FB in the past 2 weeks than I can count and haven't had to stomach to read ST in a couple of weeks (yes, you can check my profile to see the last time I logged in). Since I am ranting a little, let me also express the latest gathering of lemmings...the all inclusive "chase team". What a friggin' joke. If your need to "fit in" and be socially accepted is that strong, maybe you need to step back and take a look at the rest of your life. Something is seriously screwed way beyond the research project you are running out of your mom's basement.