Happy Monday,
Wishing everyone peace, love and laughter in the New Year!
I know a lot of birding friends who think back over the past year and pick out a favorite bird sighting, it could be a lifer or just a favorite bird they enjoy seeing. My favorite 2017 bird and sighting was not a lifer but a pair of Barred Owls seen during our many visit to the Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland Florida. I love seeing all the birds, so it is difficult to pick just one bird.
These two Barred Owls were often sitting in a palm tree close by the parking lot. It was like they were greeters to everyone that visited the reserve.
Also, birders have been known to list their last bird of the previous year and the first bird sighting of the new year. Since I created this post a little early, I am going to guess my last bird and my first bird sightings will probably be a Cardinal and a white-throated Sparrow. I will let you know on a later post if I am right about my last bird and what was my first bird sighting of the new year. Hopefully I can get good photos too.
As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.
My list of memes for today, I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the host below.
Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!
Wishing everyone peace, love and laughter in the New Year!
I know a lot of birding friends who think back over the past year and pick out a favorite bird sighting, it could be a lifer or just a favorite bird they enjoy seeing. My favorite 2017 bird and sighting was not a lifer but a pair of Barred Owls seen during our many visit to the Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland Florida. I love seeing all the birds, so it is difficult to pick just one bird.
These two Barred Owls were often sitting in a palm tree close by the parking lot. It was like they were greeters to everyone that visited the reserve.
Also, birders have been known to list their last bird of the previous year and the first bird sighting of the new year. Since I created this post a little early, I am going to guess my last bird and my first bird sightings will probably be a Cardinal and a white-throated Sparrow. I will let you know on a later post if I am right about my last bird and what was my first bird sighting of the new year. Hopefully I can get good photos too.
As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.
My list of memes for today, I hope to see you there. Thanks to both of the host below.
Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday
80 comments:
Muito lindo!
Já em 2018, desejos que seja lindo! bjs, chica
Happy New Year, Eileen!
Love those Barred Owls! You have seen so many wonderful birds, what a pleasure!
Hope 2018 is good to you!
Hari OM
Blessed New Year's Day to you Eileen - may each that follows be filled with birds and joy! YAM xx
Happy New Year Eileen hope its a good one for you and your family.
Take care, Gordon.
...what a 'Wise' post! Happy New Year.
Hello, and Happy New Year!
Wonderful photos of the Barrel Owl! They are so pretty.
I wish you a nice day!
My last bird of the year was a Snowy Owl yesterday, and that is hard to beat. My first bird at the feeders this morning was American Goldfinch.
The owls are handsome. Wishing you many happy photography moments in 2018.
I've only seen a barred owl once, and it was so exciting for me! I would love to see a pair like this - you have some wonderful captures!
Um Excelente Ano de 2018 para a minha amiga com muita paz e saúde.
Andarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
Livros-Autografados
i have never seen these owls in real life, i saw one of the big ones in Ormond beach years ago and 2 tiny screech owls here and that was it.
The owl in the last photo appears to hope things are looking up for the new year. Happy Day.
you have seen some amazing birds in 2017, i can see why this would be a favorite!! not everyone appreciates nature and birding as you do, i am so happy you share it all with us. i have never seen this owl in the wild!!
wishing you and your family a wonderful 2018 eileen!!
God bless you today and every day
Oh, how I love seeing barred owls too! Of all the owls here in south Texas, the barred owl HAS to be my favorite.
My last bird seen for 2017 was the B B whistling duck & first one is the house sparrow for 2018 (yard)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I love the owls also, Eileen. BUT--I always enjoy ALL of your bird pictures...
Happy New Year.
Hugs,
Betsy
I've so enjoyed all my visits in 2017, Eileen, and all the wild and wonderful birds you've shown us. Looking forward to 2018. Happy New Year, my friend.
Amalia
xo
Hello, Wishing you a very Happy New Year 2018.
Waiting for more pics and post.
Those owls are great! Happy New Year!
Hello Eileen!
Happy new year to you and your family!
Wonderful pictures of the Barrel owl!
So beautiful birds!
Happy birdwatching for this year!
Have a lovely week!
Dimi... 🦉
Happy New Year!! I hope you have a wonderful year in 2018!!
I hope 2018 brings you many more "lifer" birds to see, Eileen. Everyone is abuzz here as a snowy owl has been sighted at a state park. Happy New Year!
Those barred owls are great! Thanks fir sharing and have a happy New Year.
Two Barred Owls, a super greeting for 2018. I hope you find more lifers, and enjoy each day with happiness too, All New Year greetings with many good wishes.
Love those owls, too! Happy New Year!
Oh, those owls are fabulous!
Happy New Year -- and Birdwatching!
Looking forward to more great bird pics from you this year, Eileen! Happy New Year!
Happy, Happy New Year! Hugs and best regards, Alexa!
Happy New Year Eileen. The owls are gorgeous!!
Have a great week ahead :)
Great photos of the owls. They are magnificent birds. I hope this new year is a good one for you,
How wonderful these owls truly are! Thanks for sharing.
May you have happy days throughout the year!
Happy New Year Eileen! Gorgeous owl photos!
What a sweet pair of barred owls! It is hard to pick a favorite when every one is really special! Happy New Year!!
A good choice of photos. Happy New Year.
Love seeing the owls. They are my favorite bird. Best wishes for a GREAT 2018!
A very Happy New Year to you and your family! Love these barred owls...I would be beyond excited to see two!
Happy New Year to you too.
Happy 2018 New Year Eileen. It has been a pleasure to see all the birds in your year.
Joy
Birds are awesome.Thanks for sharing.
It must be so hard to choose your favourite photo since you always have such wonderful photos. I really like these two owls too.
Wishing you an absolutely fabulous New Year in 2018. I look forward to seeing more of what you share with us.
Happy New Year, love those owls too. Beautiful captures!
Aren't owls great???
Happy New Year and I hope 2018 brings you LOTS of opportunities to photograph all the birds!
I know I've said it before to you, but the Barred Owls are truly my favorites! I don't see them often enough but do hear them. I did see our resident one the other night when I pulled into our driveway and it was sitting on a lower branch. A real treat!
Happy New Year Eileen!
Great pictures. I completed 2017 with some owls, so WBW for 2018 starts with some!
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
These two look like sentinels watching over the car park.
Have a fabulous 2018 Eileen. I can imagine how difficult it would be to pick one favourite bird from the year. A bit like me trying to pick one wildflower - impossible!
thee 2 Barred Owls are so beautiful Eileen.
I liked this post Eileen . . .
How plesant to be greeted by the Owls . . .
Last and first bird for me, I think would be the Cardinal . . .
I will have to check . . .
Happy NEW YEAR Eileen!
I would pick barred owls as well if I had those great shots !
Happy New Year to you :)
Beautiful Owls! I can see why they are a favorite
Interesting idea - last bird and first bird. If I don't count all the birds I see at my feeders everyday, the last bird of 2017 was a Robin I saw at Colbert's Ferry, Alabama on 12/29/2017, and the first bird of 2018 was the Hawk I saw in Tupelo yesterday (01/01/2018).
Happy New Year!
Hi Eileen,
Love those Barred Owls.
You have seen so many wonderful birds this year.
Looking forward to more great bird pics from you.
Best regards, Irma
Sweet, sweet sleepy owls
lovely photos of the owls
Fabulous shots of the owls!
Marvelous shots of the owls and nature ~ beautiful ~ !
Wishing you a Happy New Year,
A ShutterBug Explores
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Beautiful pictures of the owls..just love them..Happy New Year..
They are such great shots of the owls. I hope you have a fabulous 2018.
Lovely owls!! Happy New Year!
All the best in 2018.
Worth a Thousand Words
Thank you. All the best for 2018 to you !
I love the Barred Owls. My friend kept our Raptor Center Barred owl in a mew on her property for 8 years while we arranged for better accommodations. He was supposedly imprinted, but when a female Barred Owl spotted him and tried to get to him they had 3 hour long conversations. When she left and found her own mate, they both came back to talk to our Barred Owl and then when they raised their own little Barred Owl, all three of them came to talk to our Barred Owl. So, he really couldn't have been imprinted or he wouldn't have recognized himself as a Barred Owl ... but he had been in captivity since a young age and didn't learn what he needed to know to survive in the wild so he is still with us. Listening to them talk is a real experience ... I hope you have had it since you have Barred Owls near you. Great shots, Eileen ...
Andrea @ From the Sol
Very enjoyable post, Eileen!
Happy 2018!!!
Your owls are so cute!
Lots of blessings to you and your dearest!
happy new year!!! pictures are simply awesome . Perfect click.
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Hi Eileen. I think that if I'd seen those Barred Owls it would have been a highlight of my year too - I just love owls! Delightful images!
With my best wishes for 2018 - - - Richard
Don't those barred owls look so sweet perched there. I think the first bird I saw of the new year was a hawk. We have lots of hawks, turkey vultures, and eagles in this neck of the woods.
Beautiful shots of the barred owl. Hope you have a wonderful new year!
The owl photos are just amazing. I look...and listen every time we hike. We hear them quite often but have never had a sighting! Maybe this year...I say that every year! heehee! Happy new year! Hugs, Diane
Far out!
Happy new year Eileen.
I certainly understand why this would be your favorite birding venture in 2017! Hope 2018 brings some real treasures too! Thanks for your faithfulness with the blogs! I always love hearing from you in the comments, and seeing your wonderful posts!
The owls are wonderful -- I wish we lived closer to Circle B. Didn't know about that first/last birding tradition and can't wait to see if your guess was correct.
That is a glorious photo! They are quite the handsome pair.
I would say that finches were the first birds I saw this year.
Lovely pictures of the owl! I wish you a happy new year!
Happy new year to you too :-)
Happy New Year! Great shots of the owls.
Great shots of the owls! A beautiful start to a new year!
How blessed you are to see these owls regularly! They are such interesting, majestic birds!
Lots of good wishes for a Happy New Year coming your way ...
Looking forward to seeing many more of your lovely photographs during 2018.
All the best Jan
Perfect way to start the new year Eileen.... Michelle
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