I was exploring a town forest in southern New Hampshire a few days ago and at one point I heard a lot of nearby birds causing a ruckus. I started rambling on about bird language, telling my hiking partner that we most likely triggered this alarm. Moments later my partner pointed to a tree and frantically whispered a bunch of things that made me realize I should take a photo of something. I was thinking deer, which, oddly enough, is where my mind usually goes when I know I’m supposed to see something. We wound up spending about half an hour with the more likely culprit in this photo.
I mostly hear their “who cooks for you, who cooks for you all” song, but sometimes they make strange squawking/blubbering noises if there are several having a conversation. The Barred Owl is a nocturnal hunter so seeing them active during the day is a treat. They like the woods and hardwood swamps. Look for bold streaks across a pale-yellow chest, and dark eyes.
