Within a week during my evening walk, I've had two close encounters with a creature very like the barred owl pictured above, when the bird landed on the ground quite close to me. The owls are wonderful to look at, but after my experience a year or so ago of having one fly straight for my face, turning away only after I screamed when the bird was very near, I'd rather look from a distance.
I read that owls have poor eyesight, and they often mistake human hair for small animal prey. My white hair must appear attractive to them, so I will start to wear a cap when I walk after dark. Humans have had to receive emergency treatment for owl scratches on the head after the birds attempted unsuccessfully to carry them off. I welcome the owls in my neighborhood. I wish I could see more of my owl in the daytime, because it is a magnificent sight, but I don't want its claws in my hair, and I don't want the bird in my face, so it's cap time for me.
Photo from Wikipedia.
Maybe with your white hair, it thinks you're it's mother.
ReplyDeleteI want to thank you for posting all the prayers for Kirstin. I'm certain they were uplifting not only for her, but for those of her blog family who followed her for so long.
Your word verification is Hazed. Really I'm not doing that.
It's a beautiful birdie (the one in the piccie, anyway).
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's the owl from Harry Potter and it's trying to tell you you're really a wizard, Mimi.
Maybe with your white hair, it thinks you're it's mother.
ReplyDeletesuzanne, I don't think so. I believe the owl thinks I'm good to eat.
You're very welcome about the prayers for Kirstin. Tom and I met her when she worked with the Diocese of Louisiana after Katrina. She's a wonderful person. Wherever help was needed, Kirstin wanted to be there. She made good friends while she was in New Orleans.
Cathy, I've sometimes thought the owl was a messenger of some sort. Others who walk in the neighborhood see the owl or owls, but they don't have close encounters.
I love those sweet "inside of an English walnut" faces. [Though can imagine I'd feel different if I got clawed by one!]
ReplyDeleteI like the idea that it's pulling a Potter on you, and you are really a wizard!
ReplyDeleteThe English bird photographer Eric Hosking lost an eye when he was attacked by an owl. Take care in future.
ReplyDeleteJust this afternoon, I was nearly buzzed by the campus redtail hawk. He was after birds, and I was in the way.
ReplyDeleteJCF, the night the owl nearly flew in my face, it really spooked me. And the call of the bird is eerie....
ReplyDeletemargaret and Cathy, please! I have enough going without taking on wizardry.
Lapin, I've heard that owls are attracted by light, and the reflection of the street light on my glasses may have attracted the bird to my face. The cap should help with reflected light, too.
Counterlight, the birds are after us. Perhaps the reason is that we did not demonstrate our patriotism on the 4th of July.
ReplyDelete