WILDLIFE WATCHING -- I've had quite a few comments regarding my recent column, Timing is of the essences for wildlife, including several comments about premier wildlife watching opportunities great horned owls provide right here in River City.

For several years, from late December and for many weeks, we have heard (almost any hour of day or night) and rarely seen one or possibly two pair in our block near 46th, just east of Crestline. They favor a huge redtail hawk nest in a ponderosa, and are audible in a closed house with the t.v. going.  Love it!

--Tom Kearney

Elsewhere, Montana outdoor photographer Jaime Johnson said he and his wife Lisa have been closely watching three pairs of great horned owls already on nests despite the recent winter storms.

He describes the photo above:

This particular shot is a male sitting about a foot above the female (that’s on the nesting spot). Males are generally quite a bit smaller than the females.