Looking out across a small lagoon, we could see this owl from far away as it stood out against the backdrop of the moss and foliage. Billy Frank Nisqually NWR, Washington.
Massena - I posted this shot not so much for the bird but for the backstory. We spotted the bird along a road and I grabbed a few shots. To stabilize the camera I went off the road about 7 feet to lean the camera against a sign. About 30 seconds later I returned to the van and not long after I felt something crawling on my hand. It was a tick. I brushed it out the window and pondered what had happened. The grass was not that long, about 10 inches but this critter was lurking somewhere, waiting for an unsuspecting birder to show up. You probably know about the issue with black-legged ticks and lyme disease (a real nasty issue that can be debilitating if not detected early). The percentage of infected ticks has risen to between 20-50% depending on the area. Read up on it. Take precautions and try to stay on trails and hardened surfaces as much as possible. Winter has its pluses.
United States (New York)
