Every Once in Awhile…

we are given a gift, a special moment in time. Something. Perhaps an event, perhaps what we could perceive as a miracle, that fills our hearts to overflowing. My parents were recently given such a special gift. A baby owl visited their yard. This might be expected in a rural setting, but my parents live in a small town.
My mother feared the baby would go into the street, so she put on leather gloves and carefully moved the baby to safety. They were able to watch and observe this sweet baby for a little while… until later when they noticed the baby was safely up in a tree with a parent. But before that, my mother was able to get some exceptional pictures of this baby owl and she said I could share them with you.
Also, if there are any ornithology experts reading this, we would appreciate some ideas or an identification on what type of owl this is. Mom has some ideas in mind, but nothing definite as of yet.  This baby appears to be the offspring of “the neighborhood owls” whom they think may be nesting along the creek bank near their home. They have visited before, eyeing the little faux critters that my mother had around their garden pond. UPDATE: this baby is most definitely a Barred Owl.
Oh yes… now I present this fuzzy little bundle of cuteness…




These pictures are great, but Mom says she wishes that somehow she could have captured the sloooow blinks of the little owl eyes. Absolutely precious.
I hope these pictures warm your heart as much as they did mine!