No that was Not an owl in that cave!

[mamabear]

A friend & I went to an area where I collect some amazing druzy specimens today. These were lying all over the ground, but I had wanted to stop at a bluff that had small caves in it. Never been able to before because I was always alone & I don't like to climb unless someone is with me. We looked into some of them & found them covered in dogtooth calcite crystals in pretty much every little hole & crevice. The bigger ones, (only big enough to stick an arm or tool in) were soo beautiful. They were covered in crystal, the ceilings the sides & underneath dirt on the floors. We would brush the dirt away & see if any pieces were loose, which we gathered. The last cave was coated with the crystals so I reached in & started brushing the dirt when I saw an eye blink. I figured it was an owl cuz I didn't see a trail up to it, the leaves were not disturbed at all ,so I took a pic & left it. I figured I had bothered it enough. When I got home, & loaded pictures on 'puter, this is what my owl was. I was sooo lucky! Added a couple shots of the crystal caves so you could see the kind of fun I had today.
Click on the last pic to enlarge u can see it better

 

[Bajahunter]

I think the name of the caves is Merimec Caverns.
Mamabear you are going to have to call the fox Goldilocks.

 

[yakker]

Just now catching this post- and WOW! Surprise!! Amazing photobomb of your local cave-dweller! I never ran into critters like that- only bats (and way, WAY too many of them- although I must admit, they were all asleep and never bothered anyone...still...) and actually the guano was probably more of an issue than the bats- I like bats. But something else caught my attention the other day while I was walking my favorite place- a state grounds area. I'd been noticing paw prints that were not fox, and not anything I was very familiar w/ except for smaller versions...my cats... Come to find out (from a horseback rider), that funny 'I'm being watched' feeling I'd been getting was actually a small wild cat he'd spotted!(formal ID unknown as of yet). So... ya never know.

That aside, those are really cool crystals you were after! But up there where those caves are, I'd be careful all the time- and on the lookout for early snakes- pissed off and hungry after the too long winter- and other more furry type critters! HH! Yakker

 

[mamabear]

the fox says "what kind of idiot sticks their hand in a dark cave? Poor human she must be mentally challenged, it wouldn't do to hurt the simpleton.". What do I say? Could I have been any blonder?? Sorry blonds (I am beginning to think it should be replaced with brunettes.