Its Been Declared the Year of the Owl-2011

It wouldn't be the end of the year if I didn't have a critter story to tell. In November I wrote about a new critter in the neighbourhood. Since early November we have had a barred owl living across the street in the neighbour's trees. That would be okay if he wasn't an attack owl. I mean really, when people have to wear hard hats to come over, its a bit crazy don't you think? Well we don't go to that extreme but lets just say there is no lingering outside to chat in the evening when guests leave and most guests run to our door. Check out my last owl post here and you will understand.



My two daughters and a friend were leaving the house one night and as usual chatting away and all of a sudden the owl flew towards them. They rushed in to their cars. My daughter was patient and determined to get his mug shot so here it is. Its not clear as it was taken from inside the car with a phone. The owl is about 18 inches high but his wing span is almost three feet. In the last week he has tried successfully to grab the hair of a friend of mine while she walked home from work. She ended up with a few scratches and was probably scared to death when it happened as the owl comes from behind and you don't hear him. She was wearing a ponytail and it is said an owl thinks it resembles the bobbing tail of a squirrel. Owls eat squirrels, rodents and small birds. I think it is the motion they are after, not the human. But don't tell that to hubby who walks to work each day with an open umbrella even on dry days. He says he gets weird looks from cars driving by when its not raining. If only they knew.



Hubby has been attacked by this owl a couple of times while going to wiork. Its rough enough getting to work for 5am but to have to worry about an owl would put me over the edge. Our friends came over with a special gift for hubby this week. My friend, Lynn, had received this owl whistle when she was in Brownies. After forty years she felt that my hubby could use it, ha ha.



You blow in to this whistle and it really sounds like our owl. We had lots of laughs over this owl and the whistle. Only problem is I would hate to use the whistle and have the owl think its a mating call. Wouldnt that be a hoot!

Happy New Year,
Kristin