OWLS

On January 4 of this year, I was walking my local park, camera in hand, when I spotted a familiar Great Horned Owl, laying across some branches, about 50 ft above the ground. She had passed.

It was the Matriarch of an Owl family that I have known for over 5 years. I have hundreds of photos of intimate moments between the pair and their owlets over these years. It was a very emotional moment for me. “It’s Nature”, we say….but this was really hard. I felt like I had lost something special to me.

So, what is our fascination with Owls?

Beliefs throughout history are ones of evil and death, sorcery, spirits, ghosts and witches that can appear in an Owls body. Owls were generally seen as messengers from the spirit world to humans.

So many of us now associate them with the magic of Harry Potter….wisdom and vigilance, learning and mental change…a new beginning or chapter.

Owls are birds of prey, that hunt at night. When the Hawks and Falcons of the world are checking out, the Owls are clocking in. Silent, stealth wings, hunting nocturnal creatures… masters of camouflage.

So, what is the fascination?

“ When you see an Owl, even if you have no interest in birds, you feel that you’ve seen something special, almost secret”. ~ Mike Unwin

Something changed for so many of us over the past couple of years, with the pandemic. Closures…. being cooped up at home. Our walks outside became more important, and along with that, our connection to nature, and the creatures we are fortunate enough to encounter during those quiet times. It is special to see a deer, a coyote, or an owl, while you’re walking in nature. So it was with the Great Horned Owl pair. So many daily walkers, dog walkers, birders and photographers hoped for….looked forward to…a chance to get a glimpse of them. They became a part of our day. They were part of our conversation ….” Did you see the Owls today?”

There has been a sadness….a loss of something special, as people in the park have learned of her passing. There is hope for the male to re-couple, as he has remained in the territory.

As this pair of owls has been so important to many, it is important for us to remember to do our part to take care of them, and the park we share with them. It is their home. We can do more than just to enjoy looking at them. Clean up after yourself…. respect the parks. Keep your dog leashed unless in designated off leash areas, and please do not use rodenticide around your home or business. Rodents eat the poison, owls eat the rodents, and the owls die from having ingested the rodenticide.

For the wild things in nature, every day is just about survival. Let’s help to make their world easier, and enjoy our time with them now, and in the future.