Iowa Creatures of the Night #2-Great Horned Owl Mystery Cache

This cache is temporarily unavailable.

a1bob66: This series of caches is too far gone to repair so I will plan a revival. Time for a new start on this trail.
Thanks for the fun.

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Hidden : 8/18/2014
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Night Cache

As you walk the trail listen carefully to the sounds of the night. On any night you are likely to hear the unmistakable "Whoo hoo!, Whoo hoo!" of the Great Horned Owl. Be sure to follow the night cache directions below to have a successful cache experience.

Iowa Creatures of the Night Series

#2 Great Horned Owl

The Great Horned Owl, the most powerful of the common owls, is a stunning creature. Its big, yellow eyes are often compared to those of a cat, and are amplified by an orange facial disk outlined in black. The coloring of its body – hues of browns and grays with black bar markings – allow its white throat to show prominently. Distinguished by its large size (its wingspan is 4 - 5 feet from tip to tip) and its feather tufts resembling horns (and often mistaken for its ears), it isn’t hard to see why this grand bird stands out from the rest. Owls are mostly nocturnal creatures that can, at times, be spotted in the late afternoon or early morning. Like most owls, the Great Horned has keen hearing and sharp vision in low light, both adaptations for hunting at night. An owl can not only see what is right in front of it, but can turn its head over halfway around to see what is behind it. Its hooked beak does not interfere with its binocular vision, which helps determine the distance of its prey. The Great Horned Owl is a fierce hunter that prefers the sit-and-wait approach. Watching from a perch above, the owl will quietly swoop down on passing prey and seize its meal. The talons of this owl can extend to a size of 4x8 inches and can close down on its prey with the force of almost thirty pounds. Its wing feathers are comb-like with a soft fringe that helps reduces the sound of air rushing through them; as such the Great Horned Owl is more apt to glide than flap its wings. Such a maneuver makes it almost impossible for prey to hear it advance.
http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/indiana/journeywithnature/the-great-horned-owl.xml

http://www.birdsofiowa.com/birds/32%20Strigidae/birds_of_iowa_strigidae.htm

FUN AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE GREAT HORNED OWL


• The Great Horned Owl is also referred to as a cat owl, hoot owl, big-eared owl and “the tiger of the sky” because of its aggressive nature and ability to capture prey much larger than itself.
• Owls are considered symbols of wisdom and good luck in some cultures, but in others, they are feared as a sign of impending death and doom.
• Many people believe that an owl can turn its head all away around, but this is not true. Owls have fourteen neck vertebrates that allow them to move their head at 270 degrees, left to right.
• The color of these birds varies with the area in which they are found. Canadian and Pacific Northwest Great Horned owls are very dark, while the birds found in arid regions are usually very sandy in color. In the Arctic they are practically white.
• If a Great Horned owl was the same size as a human, its eyes would be as big as oranges.
• Great Horned owls take life-long mates. They won’t build a nest together, but will raise their young in the abandoned nests of other birds such as hawks, eagles and crows.
• Flocks of American crows are known to harass the Great Horned Owl, pestering it for hours or until the owl leaves. The crow's hostility is well-earned as the owl is a major predator to their nestlings and adults. Other small bird species, such as swallows, are also known for this behavior.
• Great Horned owl is the only animals that eat skunks. Yum!

Night Cache Instructions


#2-Great Horned Owl-All markers and the container are on the Left (South) side of the trail.
1) The posted coordinates are the starting location.
2) The start location will be marked with two(2) reflective markers.

Start=2


3) The trail will be marked with one reflective marker.

Trail=1


4) The final location will be marked with three(3) reflective markers.

Final=3


5) From the start location, use your flashlight to locate the start markers(2). Look down the trail with your flashlight for the next marker(1). Follow the trail of markers until you find the final markers(3). Find the container and sign the log.
6) The coordinates for the final location is posted in the waypoints to aid navigation and direction.

Night Cache Notes


1) This cache is recommended to be found in the dark.
2) You should pack good flashlights with extra batteries.
3) Safety First. Always bring a friend on a night cache.
4) Give yourself plenty of time and be aware of the trail use times.
5) The markers and container for this cache are all on the same side of the trail.
6) This cache is on public use property and all rules and laws are to be followed.
7) Cache at your own risk.
8) The final coordinates are listed in the waypoints to allow daytime discovery of this cache.

Please remember that all caches in the Jackson County Conservation Areas are CITO locations.

As always, be safe, be courteous, be respectful and have fun.

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Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Unir sha!!!!

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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