A Marvelous 30 Seconds

We had been checking the tree for a few days finally on the third day we saw it!

There was a pair of Great Horned Owls being seen quite reliably at Swan Point Cemetery (the famed Rhode Island Spring migration oasis). Most of the sightings of them were in a small pine tree in the woods which we had visited twice already hoping for the owl/owls but we had no luck on either occasion. We did find pellets one of which appeared to contain a Screech Owl (or some other small raptor talon) and white wash (a name for owl droppings).

Finally our luck changed.

We parked near the water and walked down the path in direction of the pine tree. As we neared it a large shadowy form took off from the pine and vanished into the forest. We went after it but it in the woods. We walked on in hopes of seeing it again. Then somewhere up ahead we heard the first caw of a crow which was quickly joined by another and then another. Seconds later there were a dozen black crows madly cawing. We sped up. Then a Red-tailed Hawk shrieked and out of a tree came two big forms pursued by the marauding American Crows! One was a Red-tailed Hawk the other was was a Great-horned Owl! The owls wings were rounded, its belly was striped with black and gold which faded into the white throat. They soared over head and just as quickly were gone. We walked back happily back to the car. On the way back we passed the Red-tailed Hawk, which had been mobbed by the crows along with the owl, and the successful mob of crows returned noisily to where ever they call home.

It was a GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!