It Must be Mating Season!
When you’re a country girl living in the city, you enjoy the country whenever you can. Usually that means to get in your car and go to the country. But sometimes, country comes to you.
I currently live in a subdivision in the suburbs of my city about three minutes from my work. This is nice and convenient. I was able to buy a house that has lots of trees and a “natural” hill on the back of the property. Never mind that there are neighbors on all sides of me and a busy street in front of my house. I can cut my country music on loud and sit in my country/western living room with a beer in my hand and blue jeans on and pretend I’m in the wilderness.
I’m not sure why, but a barn owl has favored the trees in my yard and often comes to visit. I saw him last winter early one evening as I went outside to get a closer look at the full moon. He was about two feet tall and was perched on the limb in the back yard right in front of the rising moon. He looked me straight in the eyes and I moved slowly back into the house to get the camera. I wanted a picture of him. By the time I got back out there he was gone.
Then there was the time I came in late one night and got out of the car as the motion detector light came on over the driveway. As I moved to get something out of the back seat of the car, I spotted the barn owl perched on the lowest limb of the tree over the driveway. I smiled and said to him “Hey mister owl. How are you? You are really beautiful and I’m glad you decided to visit. Want to come in for awhile?” He didn’t respond so I said, “Guess you need your quiet time. Come back and see me as often as you like. I’ll be around!” We both stayed motionless for a few more minutes blinking at each other as I smiled. I moved on into the house satisfied that he knew I was glad he was there. I figured he was looking for food and might just find that little snake I saw in the yard the other day and have it for a meal.
There are also times when I don’t see or hear the barn owl but know he has been for a visit. You see, he leaves very large accumulations of solid white poop and it often lands on my car. I had a red car and you would not believe some of the droppings I’ve found there and on the driveway. Now that I have a white car, it often blends in – except when it happens to land on the sun roof.
Recently he came to visit again. This time, however, he had found several friends – three to be exact – and they were “partying” outside my window. I peeked out the window and there they were hooting back and forth at each other and having one GOOD time. They were almost cooing at one point and were definitely talking their kind of language…all very happy and congenial.
Now I’m not a nature expert, but I think they may have been mating. I didn’t stare for very long before I went back to bed. After all, when you’re in the mating mood you need your privacy. They were there for about 40 minutes and making some of the most interesting noises I’ve ever heard coming from barn owls.
I am really very glad they are coming to my yard and am more than willing to wash the poop off the driveway and my car after their visits. After all, having them near reminds me of the country. I’m not sure why the barn owls chose my trees, but I’m sure glad they come to visit. My life is happier having them here.
My wish for you today: that you will take the time to listen to and look at nature when it comes to visit. Be careful, but be aware that these living creatures are just trying to carve out a little happiness for themselves, too. Have a great day!
~Joellen