Perhaps if you are into children’s books or you’re a birder, you know the word “owling.” I’m familiar with the word thanks to Jane Yolen’s lovely 1987 book, Owl Moon. It’s about a little girl and her father who love to go out as the sun is setting, looking for owls. Or as they call it, owling. Some dictionaries suggest that owling also involves calling to attract the owls in their own owl language but if you already know where they are that certainly isn’t necessary.

We were up in Arlington attending a much deserved celebration and there was after dinner entertainment. Owling. Two adults and two juvenile Barred Owls (Strix varia) hanging out in the woods of a nearby park, just waiting to be admired and photographed as daylight was beginning to diminish.

One of the adult owls was off on some task so we only got to see three of the family but it was quite the treat watching them. And to hear their chatting back and forth was impressive. The juveniles with their high pitched but not very loud squeal being answered back by the adult, with a soft two noted, “hoot hoot” as if to say, “Yes, I’m here.”

As it got darker we left the owls to their nighttime activities and headed south and back to our cabin in the woods.

Juvenile Barred Owls stay with their parents longer than other owls, at least four months. That will give me plenty of time to come back to visit these charming feathered creatures again as spring turns to summer. More owling!