Saturday, June 28, 2025

Spotted Wood Owl in western Japan for Saturday Critter

 


During one of my journeys through Western Japan, I had the pleasure of visiting a bird sanctuary where I beheld a most striking creature—the Spotted Wood Owl (Strix seloputo). Native to the tropical forests and wooded lowlands of Southeast Asia, this magnificent owl is seldom seen beyond its natural range, making its presence in the sanctuary all the more remarkable.

Distinguished by its richly barred plumage of warm chestnut and cream, the Spotted Wood Owl possesses a dark facial disc framed by concentric rings, lending it an expression both solemn and wise. Its eyes, deep and dark, seem ever on the verge of slumber, while its beak, tinged with a soft orange hue, stands out prominently against its subtly marked face. Unlike many of its kin, this species lacks the prominent ear tufts so often associated with owls, and instead bears a smooth, rounded crown.

To encounter such a noble bird in quiet repose, far from its native forests, was a singular experience—one that lingers in memory as a testament to the silent beauty and mystery of the natural world.

Fujifilm XPro2

Fujinon 16-55mm f2.8 



Linking Saturday Critter



35 comments:

  1. How amazing. What a moment you captured. Beautiful.

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  2. I always love seeing owls, and this is a new one for me. This spring we watched young Great Horned owls chicks until they fledged from the nest tree.

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  3. It is a beautiful owl and thank you for the info. Great image!

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  4. Wow, this would be an unforgettable experience. He is totally gorgeous!

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  5. I love owls, the owl is my favorite bird. And this one is really beautiful.

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  6. I know that you can sometines see owls near the old tree, but I am yet to ve able to photograph them in the wild. This looks nice, and a bit easier.

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  7. Harry Potter comes to mind when I read about owls.

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  8. He's a little gem! What a sweet one and a great capture.

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  9. Y pudiste captar con facilidad su bonita cara mirándote fijamente.

    Saludos.

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  10. Such a beautiful owl, great photograph.

    All the best Jan

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  11. You have spoken so elegantly about this creature, and its presence lives up to every word. A beautiful bird.

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  12. I love owls, what a cute photo! Thank you for linking up and sharing your critter post.
    Take care, have a great day and happy week. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

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  13. That's incredible! I also had the pleasure of seeing a Spotted Wood Owl, here in Bangalore. What a magnificent bird!

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  14. I like the way you described how it made you feel to see such a splendid creature. It looks like a small owl and oh how I would love to see one! Thanks for sharing your experience!

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