The Bird Collection

Barred Owl, At the Forest's Edge

Be Prepared – Barred Owl, Beekmantown

Sometimes, nature offers a moment so sudden and sublime, all you can do is accept the gift.

We were slowly driving home along a quiet backroad in northern New York State, winding through a familiar patchwork of homes, farms, and forest. Then, in that unspoken rhythm we've developed over years of shared observation, Evelyn saw it — a Barred Owl, motionless on a post at the forest’s edge.

I checked the mirror, reversed carefully, rolled down the window, and reached for the camera that, thankfully, always travels with me. One click — just one — and the owl was gone. No second chances. No time to fine-tune or adjust. Just instinct, timing, and presence.

Captured here is that single fleeting moment: the owl’s finely banded plumage, its calm intensity, its silent wisdom. A perfect blend of wildness and grace, framed by chance and a bit of preparedness.

Every time I look at this image, I’m reminded of the old Scout motto: 'Be Prepared'.