Owling at the Moon

Ren, baby sitter, ratter, and owl hound

I wake up like a mother, quick and worried. Thus when the soft, scratchy, tap-tapping came at the bedroom door last night at about half past midnight, it didn't take me long to find out what was up.

Turned out the kids' dog, Ren, had been growling and waking them up for a while downstairs where their place is. When they finally woke up enough to realize what was going on they heard an owl right outside their window. 

I have left instructions to awaken me if ever an owl is heard.....

So, once downstairs I went to their room, where of course not a sound could be heard.

Figures.

However, I went outside to watch and listen....maybe....just maybe....

The moon was silvering up the place, shiny and bright as day almost. I would have been happy to be awakened just to go outside to enjoy it.

However, there it was....from up in the old apple orchard came a distant, Hoo Hoo, Hoo, hoo, hoo...

I hooted back. From in front of the house came a much louder response and then another call from the backyard where the first bird had flown. 

I stood and listened for a bit, reveling in the wildness and smelling their probable target species all around.

Not one, but TWO, Great Horned Owls right in the house yard. We knew we had them....feathers almost every year up in the Heifer Woods. But hearing them was amazing. Probably if I had wanted to stay out in the gleaming midnight I could have seen them too, but I really didn't want to disturb their hunt. 

Plus....I am not exactly a night owl myself....