Monday, November 13, 2006

One Cool Bird of Prey

I took MBDog out tonight and enjoyed the crisp evening air for a few moments despite the fact that I've been deathly sick for a month. As I stood on the deck and gazed absentmindedly at the cold raking November clouds, I heard a chilling voice above me and to the left. Alarmingly close.

"Who-who - wh-wh-WHO".

MBDog stopped mid-stream and went on point. I looked up at the roof of our outbuilding and there I saw it. The biggest horned owl I'd ever seen. Black silhouette, backlit by our neighbor's porchlight. It was something out of a classic chiller movie, I tell ya.

I love owls. They're probably my favorite bird ever. Being a city girl born and raised, I've rarely seen them in the wild. And there he was. Every bit of two feet tall, maybe more - strong and powerful and spooky. I'd heard him around recently - faint hoots in the night across the country acres and bouncing through the whispering fall leaves. It was neat to think of an owl hanging around our property. And there he was, right there!

I blinked in awe for a few seconds, and then rushed MBDog up on the deck, in a hurry to get back in the house to grab the hub and the camera - and then the dog lead caught in between two of the deck boards. The catch made a hell of a racket, with MBDog and I both stumbling on ourselves like a couple of oafs, and when I looked back up at the barn roof, the owl was gone.

I was disappointed, and more than a little irritated at my own clumsy bafoonery startling him off. But it sure was exciting to see him, even for a few seconds. It's a good thing I didn't see him take off, or I might have had a heart attack from the coolness of it all.

(This owl here is nothing like what I saw tonight. But I found this picture while looking for the other one and had to share it. Look how cute he is. Couldn't you just die?)

Owls are so cool.

Happy hunting, My owl friend. Help yourself to the moles tearing up our property. And thanks for the visit tonight.

14 comments:

Martie said...

And your little owl friend is welcome to come and eat the mice and moles here if he doesn't get his fill at your place!! ;)

Cool happening, cool story!! Thanks for sharing with me.

Anonymous said...

It must be mole season...all around The Hill all you can see for miles are dirt mounds...every where!!!! Are you feeling better???? Now, you have me undecided about my WW post....should I post this Saturday's bon fire...or the awesome hawk that landed on the telephone pole across the street and stayed long enough for me to snap it??? I didn't know that they could twist their heads around like the owl...but it did ;)..BTW the owl was my daughter's elementary school mascot..trivia...don't love it???

chesneygirl said...

How cool!!!
The only place I've seen an owl is at the zoo and the like.

I was born and raised a city girl too....yet I'm living in the middle of nowhere now.

oh and....clumsy bafoonery? LOL!
Only you can come up with the funniest vocabulary, Clew!!!

Love and miss you much! :)

Sunny said...

Hope you're feeling better Clew! I've been sick too, and sick of it... ;) We had a horned owl in our neighborhood last winter. They're territorial so you may see him again. The owl was in our courtyard one night, flew up from a tree when I stepped outside. He was so big with these huge wings, He scaired me, I screamed like a ninny-girl, but in the rush he lost a few feathers. They are wide, striped, gorgeous feathers. Nice read. Get better.

Spin_Doc1 said...

I have not seen a owl in the wild either, and I live next door to Chesney Girl (BFE).

Saur♥Kraut said...

How incredibly cool is that!!! You lucky thing, you! I am full of envy! And yeah, the second little owl's such a cutiepie.

Rebecca said...

Clew - I was thinking of you over the past week. Every time I go into the book store, that Pirateology book is being showcased! AAARGGH! ;)

HEY! And my word verification was eggowl...how appropo!?

Nelly said...

They are the coolest birds! Just like you said, strong, powerful and SPOOKY! The little owl is so cute!

Anonymous said...

I've only seen one owl in the wilderness and that was in the grill of our family's station wagon when I was young. What?? It wasn't my fault!

Smerdyakov said...

You're lucky you didn't get the camera in time. A picture would have spoiled the moment. Sometimes our memories of events like that are better than anythng we could capture on film.

Joy said...

I'd have to ditto AC's comment. :)

BigDadGib said...

Great post.

I always thought you were a real hoot.

Yours,

Anonymous said...

Just checkin' in on you....hope y'all haven't had this nasty virus that is making the rounds down here on the Nature Coast....stay well.

Rebecca said...

Hope you're feeling better!!! And if we don't connect before Thanksgiving - have a wonderful holiday! :)

Hugs!