Ulani barks

Ulani and I were just sitting out this evening.  There was a light drizzle falling, all was peace except the birds.  My skills identifying birds by sight are improving a bit, but outside of the cardinal's sharp cheep-cheep-cheep, or the red-winged blackbird's equally sharp shriek, most of it is just gibberish to me.

Until I hear the whinny of the Eastern screech owl.  I'll always remember that sound after last spring's encounter!  And it's been back for the past week or two, maybe more. 

More than that, a few nights ago I think there was an owl flying lesson right outside my bedroom window!  It was nearly full dark, but there were definitely some birds larger than sparrows or blackbirds swooping up and down right by the big willow tree.  The next morning I moved my spy camera right out there.  Of course there's been no reappearance.

But back to me and Ulani sitting out.  She likes to bark at...something.  I'm not sure what it is, but it would seem that she hears something and barks in response to it.  Kind of breaks up my peace so I try to discourage her.  Tonight I found what looked to me like a good bone that maybe she'd forgotten about for a week or two.  I tossed it over and for a while she was happily gnawing away on the bone.  I just sit, camera in lap, waiting for something interesting.

Luckily I felt she might be about to be interesting.  Because when she threw her head back to bark, I was ready.  I love this picture.  It's exactly Ulani.