This was Rodney the owl, one of the residents at the Sarett Nature Center in Berrien County, Michigan.  I had just completed a 4hr trek through the nature trails, dragging around most of my camera equipment (including two tripods - doesn't everybody carry two?).  With the last of my energy, I dragged myself to the parking lot for the relaxing drive home.  There, the nature center naturalists were airing out some of the residents, including Rodney.  I'm sure there's a lesson to this story, but I haven't figured it out yet.

Make friends with the naturalists at your local nature center.  They often have access to special exhibits and when things are slow, they're often glad to help you get a photograph.  I started with a 50mm lens, but Rodney didn't seem to like me that close.  I switched to a short telephoto.  He still looks rather honked off - maybe that's how he always looks.  He was probably laughing because he watched me dragging camera equipment back from the nature trails.  Owl humor is rather dry, I suppose.