Week 7 - Majestically free - The Great Horned Owl

 

I walked outside to look into my tree and see who wants to make their presence known.  Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a wing span and look over to see the slow flap of an owl making its way across the golf course.  A truly magnificent sight to start off my week.  The Great Horned owl is a regular in the Hill Country however because of its stealth and secretiveness even the avid bird watcher rarely gets a good look at this species.  I myself only had a view of it flying into nearby trees.  
These predator birds actually prey on my bird of the week last week, the Great Heron.  They are not as smart but cunning. They kill with their feet and claws most aggressively.  Owls are largely tame when captured and will be accommodating to their owners until they mature. As they mature they seem to resent their owners and will be aggressive and attack.  A captured owl will live as long as 29 years, a wild owl 13. 
I resonate with the captured mature owl. When I was young I was easily molded into what others wanted and needed. I was content to make them happy and be fed and protected. As I mature and live into this middle-age phenomenon I can understand the resentment.  Those who have provided protection and love have also inadvertently sheltered.  Would I survive in the wild? Can I feed myself and trust my instincts? I know the answer is yes. I was created with everything I need to survive.  So why the urge to bite the hand that feeds?  
I finished my week with a walk in the evening, a glass of red in my hand, and a light rainfall. The sky was still blue and the lights twinkled while the clouds glowed a heavy pink. Out of the still evening, I heard the call of an owl and then a call back from a nearby tree. The closer I came the louder the call but I never could make out the shapes of the owls.  After research, I learned the higher pitch was the female and the couple was calling one another.  The sound was a peak into another world. My world was colliding with nature and it created a magical portal that I am convinced every one of us looks for.  

Me and the birds,
Suuny



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