The Visitor


Up pops the ... owl


Photos by Joe the Cat

Our backyard is woodsy.
We've had a flicker box standing out there for years, but we doubt a flicker has ever seen the inside of it.
Rats seem to enjoy it, though. And so almost every week we take a hose and flood it with water, just to see the rats abandoning ship and to keep the inside tidy.
Yesterday we were watering plants and then made our way to the flicker box for the dousing.
We pointed the nozzle at the box's entry and let the water go.
An owl popped up. He looked agitated. It was, after all, 10 a.m. and no self-respecting owl would be up at that time of day.
We were very sorry and immediately shut off the water.
We kept our distance from our visitor for the remainder of the day.
At dusk, we noticed the owl's head popping up. We took a seat in the Terrier Temple and kept an eye on the box ... it would be awfully neat to watch an owl take off on a nightly hunt.
Nightfall was hovering. Finally, a blur ... an owl was just visible sitting on our back fence.
Then, a second blur... there were two owls sitting beside one another on the fence.
Another bout of gray blurs and they were on their hunt.
This morning as we went out to feed the birds and squirrels, we noticed the owl watching us from the box.
We now have guests.
--Gimlet

Posted: Sun - April 17, 2005 at 11:05 AM          

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