S'whet in my northern yard!

We have lived in this house for three years and ever since we moved in I have been hoping that my bird feeder might be graced by a special visitor. Today that magic moment finally happened when a Northern Saw-whet Owl showed up to hunt mice under  the feeder in -30°C temperatures. Although common here in summer it is quite rare to find Northern Saw-whet Owls this far north (Winnipeg, Manitoba) in winter. I took these photos by opening my back door just enough to poke a lens out. Note the intensity of the hunt as the owl is alert to every movement or noise (eventually this owl caught a House Mouse). Please click on an image to view as a slideshow.