The Owl that Didn't Give a Hoot
(c) by Jerry Davis 9-8-99
It was early in the morning when I noticed the large paper feed sack hanging on a fence
by the road. It seemed a little different than it did when I saw it in the ditch
beside the road the day before. A little while later, as I passed down the road, I
could see that the piece of paper was something alive hanging on the fence. Then I
was close enough to see that it was an owl hanging there. It's wing was entangled in
the barbed wire.
The Approach
As I approached the owl, I could see that the animal had given up hope and had accepted
its fate of being hung till death. Birds don't take stress well and it would
probably take only a short time compared to a mammal for it to "pass on by".
The eyes were dead-set on me as I fumbled through the toolbox of the pickup for a
pair of leather gloves. After putting on the leather gloves, I reached for the wing
of the owl expecting the owl to come "unglued" and to "bite and
fight". Much to my surprise, she kept her magnificent claws locked one to
each of two barbed wires, and her free wing perfectly still. Her beak however did
send me a greeting of "clack, clack, can you help me back?"
The Steel Glare With No
Soul
The steel glare from her eyes stayed locked on mine and I could see into hers.
What I saw, were the brilliant colors of polished gold and black with no soul visible in
their depths.
Torn Flesh and
Hopeless Entanglement
I could see the flesh of the wing was torn and the feathers and flesh were hopelessly
entangled with the barb of the wire. The bones of the wing while showing, seemed to
be intact. I had a linoleum knife in the tool box, so I retrieved it to see if
I could release the feathers from the barbed wire. I placed my left gloved hand over
the face of the owl to keep her calm and protect her from seeing what I had to do.
The owl didn't flinch. With the linoleum knife in the right hand I began to work the
blooded, wet feathers away from the barb. A few minutes later the wing was free and
I am holding the giant bird in front of me, its wings spread wide as it could reach.
The Owl Crunched Down
Suddenly, the owl crunched down on my gloved finger as if to say "it is time to
turn me loose now". I raised her high above the fence and shoved
her forward into the air and released. She caught the air under her huge wings
and settled to the ground about twenty feet on the other side of the fence and turned
about to face me. A lot more staring takes place. I have done all I can think
of to do for the moment so I wish her well and leave.
Sinbad The Cowdog
Makes Observation
Sinbad The Cowdog is observing all this and I am hoping he doesn't have an idea in his
head to investigate. We return to the house and I can observe the owl still in the
same location for a period of about two hours. Apparently resting from the ordeal.
She Flew The Coop
and Gave a Hoot
The next time I look, the owl has "flown the coop." If the wing heals
and the infection passes, I expect the owl will "give a hoot" late at night as
she checks for crickets and mice under our guard light.
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The owl was observed sitting on a post near our guard light many times after
this. The Great Horned Owl is a common sight to the keen observer, from
dusk till dawn, in the Central Texas area.
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