I was not intending to get photos of owls when we passed through Skagit, but I ended up getting some of the closest shots yet.  There were some owls on the ground pretty close to the road.  I am not sure whether they were guarding food or just contemplating their next moves.  However, one of them took off and flew around very close to where I was and, for a brief moment, it flew straight towards me.  I grabbed a few shots and then it was gone and shortly afterwards, so were we.  A lucky break for sure.