On Saturday afternoon my husband Lee and I decided to check out the new hiking
trails in the New Quarter Park in Williamsburg (next to Queen's Lake
subdivision).
It was pretty quiet on Loop 5 at 3:30 pm, with only a few common birds being
seen or heard (CAROLINA WREN, CAROLINA CHICKADEE, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER). Then
we got to the Lookout on Loop 5 and saw a very large bird fly on to a tree
branch just 50 feet away. An adult BARRED OWL turned its head and looked
straight at us with its dark eyes. We exchanged stares for a full minute before
it turned away and flew off into the woods.
I don't know how common this species is in the area but wanted to share this
sighting. A very memorable experience for us!
Meredith Bell
Hayes, VA
