This Hawk Owl gave good views to a large group of birders visiting from New York state who watched as it coughed up a pellet on a high perch. The real show began after the birders had left.

The owl flew back and forth across both sides of the railroad tracks. Strong wind gusts only stuttered its flight momentarily. The hawk owl has very good hearing and keen eye-sight. I was most impressed that it could pick out a rodent obscured by snow and grass from 100 yards away with the wind likely affecting its hearing.

The owl flew back to the same perch where it had coughed up a pellet earlier. There it sat with the entrails of its dinner draped over the side of the perch (not the one pictured above).