Thud

I love owls. I think they're fascinating. I often do not express my love of owls, but it's rooted somewhere deep down.

I was sitting at my desk this morning, while our nugget slept, and heard a loud thud. My first thought was that someone was attempting to break into our house because I watch too many 48 hours and that's my first thought, ALWAYS! I cautiously walked out of my room and was going through my head what I was going to do. I had a baby to protect, who knows what mama bear instincts would kick in. Methodically, room by room I looked at every window. After I checked the dog room I walked out and noticed something in a mass on our grilling patio. I felt bad for the pigeon...hoped it'd live and walked away. As I walked away I realized that it wasn't a pigeon. Pigeons aren't fluffy and don't have fluffy little legs. Upon further evaluation it was an owl! At this point I was sad for this owl. His wing was outstretched to one side and he looked as though he wasn't alive. I slowly made my way out the door. I said hello to him and thought if he was going to die, I wanted him to be warm. So I went and got a towel to wrap around him. As the towel touched him he pulled his wing in and sat up. At this point the woman who's face was mauled off by a chimp started running through my head. Was my face going to be mauled by this cute little owl I was trying to help?

I called wildlife rescue. They said to leave him alone and in 3-4 hours he would snap out of his concussion. So I did what any other curious person would do and walked outside again. I started to talking to him. His eyes started to close and I started to yell at him to stay awake! He had a concussion and wasn't dying on my watch.

Then he looked right at me. His pupils dilated and I saw his sharp little beak peeking out of his fluffy, cuddly feathers. Woman, chimp, me, went inside.

I talked to him through the window and he turned his 180 degree head and looked right at me. With the glass between us, I continued the conversation. Then, as fast as he slammed into our window, he was gone. He took a nice poop on the patio as he flew away. I think of it as a thank you poop. A memento to remember him by.

He flew into the tree next to our house.