We have Great Horned Owls and some little burrowing owls too. Once in a while coming home late I've startled a GH off the fence and it's flown low through the headlights. Pretty startling and an impressive wingspan, gotta be about 3 feet.

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

pretty neat.

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

Sometimes the kids camp outside in the yard. But if the owls start doing their thing, it usually cuts the camping adventure short. It can get a little creepy, especially when they hear rumors about "attack owls".

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

Man, I saw a great horned in daylight, heard all this rustling noise in a tree, and then heard the turkey vultures swirling around. Thing made the weirdest non-owl-like noise I've ever heard, like a death scream, then I saw it fly off....must have had a 6ft wingspan. Probably caught himself a tasty rabbit. I wish there were a way to attract them to roost.......although wouldn't be good for my cat!

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former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL

We have had a family of Harris Hawks here on this 30 acres for at least 6 years... they also have barred tails....very vocal and hunt in groups.. like 3-5 together... very unusual behavior for hawks.... they do not seem to make any difference in the squirrel population... they will get very close and all around me when I am mowing the field... and you can see them picking up vols or the like....

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

When I was about 8 or 9, the neighborhood kid and I were climbing the oak trees in our yards. I went for the lowest branch to start up. I had both hands on the branch and was pulling myself up just enough to start swinging the "hook-foot" to finish perching on the branch, when right between my two hands and in front of my face was "something" that had a chainsaw's wealth of talons and more feathers than any mattress I had ever slept on in my short life at that point...

As my little, tiny Rolodex of a mind started searching for the term of terror I was experiencing, the "SAFETY" part of my peanut kicked in and I released my grip on the branch and managed to land on my two "cartoon-wheeling" feet and legs.

Once I got about what seemed like still too close for comfort from the "thing on the branch," the little alarm call (NOT!) that must have eminated from my lungs brought my friend over to see which appendage on my body was missing.

Once the inventory was finished and I realized that I still had what God gave me to begin with, the two of us went back to the "branch of feathery death" to see what I managed to escape from.

Turned out to be a little 7"-8" (couldn't have been any larger) barn owl. The little sucker must have just made his first flight and landed on that branch. He/she just sat on the branch watching the two of us fearing him...'til we realized he was probably as interested in us as we were in fearing him. We saw him turning the head 359.9999° around and every once in a while he'd "fluff" his feathers, then settle back into his "lighthouse" mode...watching what we were doing and where we were.

I decided to run back to my place and see if I had my "Brownie" camera loaded and to let my family know what nearly killed me (FRIGHT!). I asked my friend to stay and keep an eye on the owl, but...he must have sprinted for his house 'cause I think he didn't want to die alone.

And I suppose that at the same time, the little baby barn owl decided he had enough of us and flew off 'cause when I got back to the branch, the little owl was gone.

Since that day, I just fell in love with the owls...the silent killer of all things rodent.

And when you see them doing just what God intended them to do...you just wish you had your G-kids along to view what you're seeing.

Nature...at it's best.

BTW, when someone tells you their heart was in their throat...that's EXACTLY what it feels like when you're 8-9 yo!!!

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M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
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“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

This is worth a look.

Amazing nature - The Eagle Owl

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Owls are thought of by many as sort of an awkward and odd creature. For those into flying, the owl is an AMAZING aviator. If I can find it I will post the link to a slow motion video of an owl gliding and flaring for landing. Most people never see an owl in flight because they are mostly nocturnal.

One of the most elusive and sought after skills in flying is a graceful and smooth flare for landing. The slow mo of the owl doing this is something for every pilot to study.

One of the most graceful creatures in the wild.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

This is not the one I saw before of the owl landing, but the flare is the same. This skill obviously evolved so that they could do a crash landing for their supper.

nature stock footage of bizarre owl attack - YouTube

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

I posted the link and then noticed that Local had posted the same thing as the last post before mine.

Thanks for posting it Local!

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Absolutely!

Their ability to fly through trees is nothing short of unreal.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I've got 3 or more of those pesky owls that live in the oaks around my house. Yes, they are a magnificent creature, but I have grown tired of their noisy late nite partying! My bedroom is on the second floor, and during the summer we keep the windows open at nite, so it seems like they are right there with you. A few random blasts of the 20 guage will send them packing for the evening, but they always return the next night.

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1984 300TD 1981 240D

Don't eat the owl, probably tastes like mice anyway. They are tough and hard to prep.

I've lived in the boonies for 25 years next month. During my youth I spent lots of time in the boonies at my Grand Dad's on the Blanco River. I have found MOST of the wildlife noise to be nothing more than lullaby. It beats sirens, trains and airliners all to heck IMHO.

The night noises I deal with is everything from Coyotes to Mockingbirds to the occasional Owl. It's all just music to me. It's just what you get used to I suppose.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

I have all the usual critters too. However the owls are not occasional anymore, and they are less than 50 feet from the house! They go on all night and are very loud. I still wouldn't trade where I live for the city though- I have grown used to silence and darkness at night and when I have to go there I don't sleep well as i'm used to waking up if I hear a car.

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1984 300TD 1981 240D