Encounters of the Owl Kind

Rick was very restless on Saturday evening.  He was pacing to and fro to the kitchen door so we thought perhaps he needed to go outside.  Paul got up to let him out and then called me over.  “You’d better come and see this.”

Rick’s reason for pacing was a newly fledged owl sitting on the doorstep.  He seemed totally unfazed by two humans and a dog staring at him through the glass.  Rick didn’t bark or whine, he just cocked his head from side to side.  The owl swivelled its head and looked a bit spaced out, he had probably just been kicked out of his nest in our tower and was waiting for some food from the adult owls.  We tiptoed away and left him in peace.  He was gone by the time I went to bed, just a load of owl poop for me to clear up.

Last night, at dusk, I checked to see if he was back and sure enough there he was sitting on the bench.  He looked very vulnerable but there was no sign of him this morning.

Paul went into the barn (aka the man cave) this afternoon to find some floor wax. It is very dark and cluttered in there.  Guess who waddled across the floor to greet him?  Yup, one young owl.  He must have flown through the upper open window, perhaps because he couldn’t quite make the very high, small window into the pigeonnier last night.  I do hope he is reunited with his parents tonight and is able to fend for himself soon.