Great Horned Owl

This is a male great horned owl, I’m pretty sure.

He was sitting on this branch, well aware of my presence.  I guess he realizes I’m not a threat. Shadow the cat however, who follows me when I walk, was of great concern a day after I took this picture. She was in the vicinity of the nest and if I wasn’t there pointing my lens at the owl as it flew towards us it would have dive bombed the cat. As it was both parents of the young owl were making a strange “clucking” noise and showing themselves in an attempt to distract the cat.