31 July 2017

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.


7 comments:

  1. Hope he's ok, they're such special little critters.

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  2. gosh, I hope he's okay, too. So young and precious.

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  3. You will have to give him some of Rick's food.

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  4. Interesting. I can hardly think he will have been kicked out of the nest. Do you think he might have fallen out and not yet be able to fly enough to get back in again. I do hope the parents are feeding him. Rachel's idea might be worth trying.

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  5. Owlets are very cute aren't they. Despite living amid the fields we never see any owls and only occasionally do we hear them flying overhead at night. Though I have seen a family group sitting at the butt of tree about two miles away, unfortunately my camera was not with me that day.

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  6. Sounds like that little owl has got special needs and may require a private tutor.

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  7. Unfortunately I disturbed some long resident Barn Owls when I started work on our Séchoir. I promised them that I would install an Owl Box, but I never have. I must do it.

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