The Third Awakening

[sooZen]

It came again last night, a hulking image silhouetted against the full moon, perched on a telephone wire like a large cat. My dogs and the neighbors dogs as well went nuts, of course, barking at that huge figure silently watching from on high. It was alien, the dogs knew it was a stranger and didn't belong here.

Like an angel, it came, first on Christmas Eve of 2006 and then as a harbinger on New Year's Eve we were again graced with it's presence.

It is a Great Horned Owl or Bubo virginianus originally named after Queen Elizabeth I, the virgin queen.

Now you may think..."Big Deal!!!" Well, it is a big deal seeing as we live in an old area of town, an original suburb of El Paso, and most definitely in the city. In all my years, I have never seen, heard tales of or even hints of such a visit in this region of our town. People look askance when we tell them until the New Year's Eve visit when Cactus Mary was here and saw it for herself. And until you see it for yourself, you have no idea of it's size, presence and majesty.

Last night was a full moon and in some areas of the world, a total eclipse, the first in over three years, I think. The dogs were the first to alert us that something was amiss or different. Out on the deck, they barked furiously as did Lobo next door. It was back!

I called to Cecil, who was comfortably ensconced in his favorite easy chair watching the History of Sex series on TV (virgin queen, history of sex...is there something here?) He immediately came to the door to see our apparition but I turned to go back in the door (it was cold) and didn't see it swope low into the alley behind our house after a roosting dove or unsuspecting rodent or maybe even a cat perhaps. On the first visit Cecil saw it dive into our pine and snatch a dove as silently and deadly as a thief with a knife.

It gives me a Harry Potter kind of feeling, that owl, with its' quiet presence, its' unknown message, its' remarkable arrivals and quick departures. We feel blessed somehow or maybe even warned.

[Artguy]

Those great unusual sitings can be so eassuring...they're still here with us...we have'nt managed to kill them all yet...

New years day 2005...looking into my backyard ...snowless unusual enough as it was...but there it was a Perigrine Falcon enjoying a breakfast of pidgeon ala carte......

[sooZen]

ahhh, that was a rare siting indeed! We are indeed privileged when they deign to "grace us with their presence."

[Lightning Rod]

I once had an owl swoop on me
it was evening and I was walking in a pecan grove
the bird came within six inches of my head
so silent that the fist thing that I felt was the puff of wind when he flew over
what's new about stealth technology?

[stilltrucking]

Thanks for posting this SooZen

It came again last night, a hulking image silhouetted against the full moon, perched on a telephone wire like a large cat.

Spooky

I love predators too, especialy night birds. I hit an owl once in California, it took out the windshield. Very sad.