About 6 weeks ago I was walking my dog in the woods near my house. It was an overcast night and dark. The trail was wide at this spot, with a single-canopy maple trees 30 to 35 feet overhead. I had an LED headlight, which at a distance casts a broad, diffuse light, not a single beam.

I was throwing a tennis ball for him, as high as I could and as far as I could. As it arced up toward the canopy a huge owl swooped at it, following it down and toward the dog. Approximately 15 feet above the hound it swooped back up, and landed somewhere. I couldn't see it.

I was amazed, and though I've seen a very large owl in the daytime there, it looked bigger at night when unexpected.

After awhile we walked about 150 yards down the trail, through a very dense, low-canopy area, and then out into the higher canopy again. I threw the ball and it happened again. I think the bird could have gotten the ball had it wanted it, as it started out before the high point of the arc and followed it for a while. It may have been waiting for it to land, and then seen the dog but I think it was more aware than that.

Anyway, I can see where someone might think that was the biggest bird in North America at the time. As I might have had I not seen a very large owl, the biggest I've ever seen, in the daytime.

Arf