It was Saturday evening and I was rushing from the pressing issues of the day to join the inimitable Mark Glenshaw for another of his great Owl Prowls. The day had started (as so many recent days have) with rain and we had a number of attendees cancel, but there were a hearty few who held to the course and were going to walk the walk.
It was prom show off time on Government Drive between the World’s Fair Pavilion and Post Dispatch lake, with daringly-clad females and dressed-to-the-nines males strutting and preening by the fountain there. I parked and walked through, and in the press of photographers, admirers and admirees, I was totally unnoticed.
Mark and the crew of eager owl-watchers were by the successional forest, at the east end of Government Hill, and had cited Charles when I joined them. He perched, as large as life (appropriately enough) there in the woods near the top of a leafy maple tree. He remained there for a while, giving our group and a number of passers-by plenty of time to admire him before he flew up the hill and perched midway up a pine tree. And that is how the evening progressed; he led, we followed. Chasing Charles became our mantra, and in the rest times, as he surveyed his domain, we were regaled by Mark with tales of owl daring-do. You really should join us, we have more coming up this month!
#OwlProwl #PromNight #ForestPark365
In the dark of the night, f5.6 at ISO 6400 just doesn’t quite make it. Click on image for more photos.