As the fall season disappears and winter approaches, you would think that the activity would be winding down for us. Nothing could be further from the truth! As the winter starts to set in, the phone once again lights up with the new season's raptor activities.

Some of the many hundreds of calls that we get throughout the winter months include the many raptors that brave our cold snowy winter that are looking for safe out of the way hiding places to settle in for the days and nights. Last week was no different, with one of the callers reporting that a "very large" owl had taken up residence in their warehouse, and had for the past five plus days enjoyed their hospitality, no doubt feasting on their in-door resident mouse population. Pictured is their not-so-welcome, un-invited visitor (the one responsible for setting off all of the security motion detectors in the warehouse over the past few nights).

Can you guess what species of owl it is??

(Written by Mark Nash)
(Photo from Ken Gilbert)