OWL OBSESSION

I admit it; we’re obsessed. 

My daughter-in-law and I have done little else for the past several days but owl-watch. There’s a pair nesting in the tree that grows through my deck, and last week we spent hours watching one of them poised right at the edge of the big hole entrance,  as it watched the bird action at the bird feeders nearby.

We knew something was nesting in the hole in the tree before we determined what type of animal it actually was. We could see some kind of  body part sticking out just past the edge of the hole, and spent hours trying to decide if we were looking at feathers or fur. We’ve had everything nest in that hole in years gone by… notably raccoons, squirrels, and last year, an owl.

So we were filled with hope of an owl return when we started to hear them calling to each other morning and night in the woods behind the house,  but sightings were few. Then suddenly an owl started positioning itself at the hole entrance, answering our questions. Over the weekend, we only saw one in the trees just beyond the fence, preening itself and watching intently all that went on in the backyard area for hours at a time before disappearing suddenly as it grew dark. This morning it was back in the woods where we’d seen it…and then suddenly, there were two! Occasionally we see one fly into the hole, or be perched on the branch directly in front of it.

Seeing the beauty of nature by myself is incredible enough, but to be able to share the experience with my daughter-in-law adds a whole new level of fun to the activity. Our efforts to summon each other when an owl moves in close have been pretty hysterical. The first time I saw the bird in the hole entrance I was so excited that I lost my ability to use words – I could only wave frantically at Becca who was sitting nearby – grunting in my excited attempts to get her attention. Then when she saw one up close this afternoon she yelled for me to come quick… and just as quickly the owl flew away, startled by the noise.

We have no idea how big the owlets are in the hole or how much longer we’ll get to witness this exciting event, but we’re giving it all we’ve got till the babies fledge, we have to go on with our lives, and start dreaming of a recurrence of the fun next year.

“An owl is the wisest of all birds because the more it sees the less it talks.” 

 – Christie Watson