Neglected the one I shouldn't have.

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Post Park, yesterday, as with the 'blog post below regarding that time and place.

Great Horned Owls are year-round residents in the area, and over the majority of the continent.  We certainly have at least one breeding pair around town (Marathon), and this individual could be one of that duet.

This species is King(& Queen)of the Jungle.  An absolute apex-predator, the feet and talons on this bird are amazing.  Great Horned Owls have excellent senses, most certainly that of hearing.  However, one that isn't so keen is olfactory or the sense of smell.  They are a key predator of skunk species so it kind of works out for them.  Someone has to do it, from time to time.

Seeing a Great Horned Owl in Post Park isn't terribly uncommon.  Yes, this bird is quite cryptic as it's camouflage is excellent.  Open your mind (and eyes) up to the possibility, though.  Then scan with your binoculars.  Any slight glitch in the Matrix?  Any subtle, vague, slightly-by-a-hair, less-than-congruent line in a tree branch...  Go back to it.  Maybe..?

Maybe not.  This bird in the photo was right above my head.  Sometimes we see less with binoculars than we do with our naked eyes.  Sometimes in life.

The Great Horned Owl always gets to me.  Always wins a staring contest, too.   Regardless, gazing at this huge bird with those magnificent features, most certainly its eyes, I can't help wonder what all it really sees.

What all it sees (and then knows) that we cannot.  Perhaps it sees more than we can handle.  Same, with knowledge.

This bird was asleep when I first happened to notice it.  Or was it?  Looked like it to my eyes.

The photo was taken far later in the day, from a respectful distance.