Barred Owl

I took the dogs for a walk this afternoon during my lunch break. While walking through the woods I saw a large bird fly deeper into the woods. I had a hunch it was a large owl, and much to my surprise....sure enough there he/she was, sitting in my favorite tree, the Pacific Madrona.

The diet of the Barred Owl consists mostly of mice, but it also feeds on small mammals mostly rodents and also birds such as grouse, hawks, doves, and even domestic ducks. It occasionally wades into water to capture fish.

The Barred Owl hunts by waiting on a high perch at night, or flying through the woods and swooping down on prey. It generally hunts near dawn or dusk, though it may also hunt on cloudy days. It may fly even in full daylight when disturbed. Of the North American owls, it is the species most likely to be active during the day, especially when raising chicks...(found this on Wikipedia).