Great Gray Owl - Quilchena, BC

There is nothing more special than seeing one of these great birds in the morning light. This wonderfully large owl was stalking a squirrel in a copse of poplar and you could hear the squirrel scolding the owl as it sat watching for the right moment to move. Great Gray Owls are typically found in the boreal forests or western mountains, but I have seen a couple of birds in the grass lands of the BC interior. This open landscape allows for plenty of prey to bring home to the nest. Great Grays are one of the largest owls in North America, but are not the heaviest. Their stocky build is only a well insulated set of feathers.