My love affair with owls bloomed slowly. In fact, until recently, they terrified me—I wanted to be nowhere near their hooked beaks, sharp talons and wide eyes. My phobia peaked when I shared a ...

On the chilly morning of Dec. 5, Alex Patton headed into a coffee shop in Utica. On his way out, he glanced across the nearby stream and noticed the bird in the accompanying photo. Sharp-eyed Patton ...