A Rare Daylight Owl Encounter in Lanesborough

I was out on a walk on Potter Mountain Road in Lanesborough during my lunch break today, and I spotted an owl sitting in a tree. Not way up high where you can barely make it out either. This thing was maybe 12 feet away from me, and I managed to snap a picture and get some video too.

I stopped dead in my tracks. You don't expect to get that close to an owl in the middle of the day, especially not just walking around outside. Owls are nocturnal for the most part, so seeing one out and active during daylight hours is already a little unusual.

They're also incredibly good at staying hidden. Their feathers are built for quiet flight, which is how they are able to sneak up on prey without being heard. Getting within 12 feet of one in the wild is not something that happens often, even for people who spend a lot of time outdoors around here.

Owl

I was staring into its black eyes and watching its head swivel past 90 degrees!

The Berkshires do have an owl population. Barred owls (which is the one I saw) and great horned owls are the two you are most likely to run into if you spend enough time in the woods. But actually seeing one up close, awake, and just sitting there watching you back is rare. Most encounters are hearing a hoot at night, not a face to face meeting in broad daylight.

This one just sat there staring right back at me. Owls can turn their heads almost 270 degrees, which is why it always looks like they are studying you rather than just glancing over. I did not want to get any closer and risk spooking it, so I just stood there for a minute watching.