Long-eared Owl is back!!

Just as I was wondering if the Long-eared Owls would come back this year while I walked out back, armed with camera and binoculars, looking for new year migration birds, I heard a Blue Jay calling.
I decided to check it out,something much much bigger emerged and flapped from the evergreen trees, with the Blue Jay screaming right behind it. I right away knew it was the Long-eared Owl, it was too small for the Great-horned, and that was one of it's favorite spots last year.
I erupted with joy and tracked it down around the forest, which was very easy, because there was a swarm of Blue Jays, magpies, crows and ravens following it.

I managed to get just a few pictures of it. I sat down in the forest and watched as ravens and crows cawed over head. It was very fun as the jays and magpies flitted about teasing the owl. I'm sure it wasn't fun for the owl though.
The ravens seemed absolutely massive, the trees rocked when they landed in them. I could here the wing beats above m, quite fascinating.

Unfortunately a branch is just in front of it's face, so the pictures aren't very good.

Long-eared Owl

Long-eared Owl

 Here is a crow or raven atop the spruce trees.

Crow/raven

 I can't tell what these are either from the pictures, crows or ravens.

Crows/ravens

Stay tuned! I'm sure we'll get a lot more pictures of the owls, this is just the beginning. When they start breeding, if they stay here, I'll try and find the nest, and maybe even see some chicks!

To see more on the last year when the owls were here, click here: Spring Has Sprung Part 3