We continue to have avian visitors from the suburban wild. This morning I was watering geraniums in the upstairs window when I saw a rust-colored feathery heap on the window ledge outside. With that color, size and ear tufts, it could only be an Eastern screech owl.
Later, when Norm went outside to warm up the car for an errand, he came in to get the camera. The owl had moved down to the stair landing window ledge (above photo) and was just looking at him. (A closeup of its fuzzy image is below.)This morning the air temperature was about 6 degrees when I first spotted it outside. We assume it picked the ledges for their warmth. This old brick house does exude warmth in winter, as our natural gas bill attests.
We don't know if this visit is rare or if it has roosted on our house before in cold weather and we just didn't notice it. We are near a park that has some large great horned owls. Norm has heard owls calling early in the morning from down the street when he goes out to get the paper, and this may be one of them. Certainly owls hold a special place in Native American beliefs. Often, they are harbingers of bad or serious news, or warnings. We'll just have to wait and see if it returns, or if we hear it calling in the night.
One thing is certain, between the hawks and the owls, we shouldn't need to worry about small rodents!
1 comment:
I can't lie, Owls freak me out. I dunno if its their beady eyes that can see right into me or the way they turn their heads or what but they scare me. Even if they are cool in Harry Potter.
I hope all is well!
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