Mates

MatesIn the fading glow of a late winter afternoon, the fields lay cloaked in a fresh dusting of snow. The world held its breath in the gentle hush that only newly falling snow can bring. A lazy sun dropped behind approaching winter storm clouds, casting a blue hue over the endless stretch of white. Along an old fence line, barely visible beneath the drifts, a pair of snowy owls perched, their feathers blending seamlessly into their frosty surroundings.

Horizon stretches wide

Reflections flicker—

the marshland exuded a quiet

I was filled with wonder and a deep respect for this beautiful creature

their barren expanses punctuated only by the skeletal silhouettes of naked trees and tangles of underbrush

was one of serene anticipation

Short-eared owl grasps nature's prize—

I sat quietly

Arriving ducks fly high and fast and are highly aware of any danger

A young Rough-legged Hawk works on determining my existence

I sat quietly in my photo blind

Kingston Field Naturalists