the owl of mystery is back!

[snugglekitty]

Yesterday morning, while peacefully in bed with my girlfriend, I heard a familiar sound. One that was so familiar, in fact, that it took me a few minutes to remember that I hadn't heard it in more than six months.

Our mysterious owl is back!



What is mysterious about this owl, you might ask? Well, as we know, owls are nocturnal. But for whatever reason, this owl hoots during the day. In the morning, yes, but well after the sun has come up. We've never heard it at night.

starkeymonster has a friend who's an ornithologist. She asked this friend what explanation there might be for the mysterious behavior of the owl. The expert's only idea was that it might be territorial defense calls, made when cars are driving away from the neighborhood as people leave for the day, but we hear the calls in the sixes and sevens, before anyone in the neighborhood comes out of their houses. So, it remains a mystery.

I heard this owl daily for a very long time - several years. Then, last summer, some tree removal people were hired to cut down a dead tree in the backyard, and they cut down both the dead tree and the one that was alive. It was probably June last year. It broke my heart. I love trees and it was almost like a physical pain to me, seeing the stumps. And shortly thereafter, we stopped hearing the owl. I assumed it had lost its roost. But apparently it was on vacation, or it has since built a new roost, because it's back. I can't explain why that makes me feel so happy.

Joyous Imbolc, everyone. May all that you dream of come to fruition.

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