Eastern Screech Owl

This cutie-pie and I want to wish everyone a Happy All Hallow’s Eve today.

Wonder Spouse and I were at the North Carolina Zoo last Friday. I attended the annual meeting of the NC Friends of Plant Conservation. I’m planning on telling you about it in my next post. While I was talking plants, Wonder Spouse took advantage of the lovely autumn weather to avail himself of the nearly infinite photographic opportunities our zoo offers.

This Eastern Screech Owl was on the arm of a keeper just outside the NC Zoo’s fabulous tropical aviary, our favorite exhibit. Wonder Spouse didn’t ask, but I’m betting that this native bird was a recovering patient at the Valerie H. Schindler Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, where zoo staff and volunteers labor to save the many injured native NC critters that citizens bring to them.

If you’re a North Carolinian, or even just passing through, I highly recommend a visit to the NC Zoo. As I’ve told blog readers here before, not only are the animal exhibits some of the finest in the United States, the botanical exhibits and plantings are worthy of any botanical garden around.

Keep a sharp eye out for goblins tonight, folks. I’ll be back here to talk plants again soon.

BOO!