Wise Move

Mon. 31 October:  Wise Move

Barred Owl on the Rideau Trail north of Bedford Mills

Note: click on pictures for full size view.

My observant colleague saw it first – a dark shape gliding silently across the sky and landing in a tree just ahead of us on the trail.  He thought it might have been a goshawk, but as we quietly approached the tree, we could see it was a large owl.   It sat up in the branches unmoving and, it seemed, not worried by our presence.  This was a barred owl, and a beautiful specimen.  

It was the largest owl I had ever seen.  As I focused in with my camera, its head swivelled round to give us a piercing look, then turned away again.  After a while, making no sound, it flew a little farther away, resting on another branch, before taking off over the treetops.  It was one of those special moments.  I had seen a barred owl before, but never this close.

Our encounter with the owl capped off an enjoyable “pre-hike” of next Saturday’s route.   We travelled north on the Rideau Trail from Bedford Mills into a rugged, forested countryside with many twists and turns in the trail to keep us on our toes.  The highlight, we had assumed, would be the rope ferry across the lake.  And it was an exciting crossing.  This little platform had a limit of three hikers at a time, and so the three of us gave it a good test.   There was a brief moment in the deepest section of the crossing where we swayed alarmingly, but we made it across safely.  

Little did we know that, just up the path, was an even more exciting sight.  It would be nice if our owl made a repeat appearance for Saturday’s hikers - but don't count on it.  They live by their own rules.

Bedford Mill - it's for sale if you're interested!

Still some color but most of the trees are now suddenly bare

Hauling in the ferry...

...and an enjoyable crossing

Edible rock tripe - more like shoe leather

The blue side trail passes beside this mysterious lake -
the ferry is at the far end of the lake, at the beaver dam.