The tutor shares a brief encounter with an owl from last night.

Around 11pm, my wife and I were in the kitchen preparing lunches for today. Suddenly, we heard some loud, squeaky wails from what seemed like the backyard. As we looked at each other, listening, the wails ended, to be followed by hoots.

“Did you hear that?”

“Of course.”

“It must just be somebody playing around.”

“Still…maybe you’d better check.”

I opened the deck door and went out. Looking around, I heard the whisper of wings in the air, then caught sight of a fluffy bird flying from the yard. We have a tall Douglas fir tree; the bird’s flight trajectory suggested it had been perched there.

“You won’t believe it…I think the hooting really came from an owl,” I commented, describing what I’d seen.

But which owl? I’ve researched possibilities this morning. Although the calls were sudden and the encounter very brief, I believe it was a barred owl. You can hear some calls at allaboutbirds.org; its presence on Vancouver Island is related at hubpages.com/animals/barredowlvancouverisland.

Fun, eh?

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.