A new resident moved into our neighbourhood last week. I have not met this new friend but I hear from it every day. There is a constant attempt to communicate with us but we will keep trying. Our new neighbour is an owl. He or she began hooting last week and has not stopped since.It is not the first time we had owls nearby as Theresa and I photographed a barn owl on one of our bird houses. Another was in our plum tree and it was a brown owl. We get excited when an owl finds our area posh enough to take up residence. Some people may find that the constant hooting would be annoying if it were outside your bedroom window as they hoot most of the night as well.
I hopped on my bike to investigate the possible site of this bird and peered through the trees with no avail. Owls are very good at disguising their location. I wish to identify and photograph this stranger during the next few days.
There is something haunting about owls with their mournful sounds. Owls were always of special interest to people who gave them special qualities and abilities not found in fact but in superstition. There may be some validity to the expression as wise as an owl but I don't know. Having worked in education for many years we used the owl as a symbol of smartness and the image of an owl seems to bring to mind the concept of brightness. In any case this owl chose to live here or at least visit here so our little community is well served by it presence.
Owls are my favourite type of Bird. I recall a time that involved an owl. It that made a big impression on me as a kid. My perspective has changed about this story as I became an adult.
ReplyDeleteIt happened during our family summer vacation in Cape Breton. We were exploring the old homestead on Cape Breton. My siblings and cousins walked along the grassy path among the tall trees taking everything in as the adults milled behind, chatting and catching up.
All of a sudden, we heard what sounded like a woman screaming at the top of her lungs in terror. We wheeled around to look for the security of our parents and asked - "What was that?". They replied "It is a Screech owl - don't be afraid". We turned and continued walking (more leery than before) and it happened again. We heard the "owl" again - louder and even scarier!! I was petrified. I certainly did not want this thing to fly out from the trees and grab us ! I imagined that it was huge and evil by the sound of it.
The adults enjoyed our reaction to this and confirmed that it was the screech owl and not to worry. We relunctantly took their word and moved on.
Many, many decades have passed since then and like my dad - I have a love for nature and animals...I also possess his keen sense of humour therefore; it has always left me wondering if that old Screech Owl was nothing but two Brown brothers having some fun with the kids, testing their ability imitate the call of the Mighty screech owl :)
Daughter #2