Owl-leleuia!

Eastern Screech Owl

I heard a car coming behind me a little faster than he should have been going on the recently re-stoned road. I had to take an evasive maneuver into the shoulder undergrowth near one of the heavily wooded swamp areas about a third of the way into my run. I'm no fan of walking in the weeds, where the snakes, snappers and sundry insects reside. Of course I was angry that the car that didn't move over, but I was still looking down to avoid stepping on something unsavory. Woot!  A huge bird let out a high pitched Skaaa---eeeeeeeeech about 10 feet from me, and then flap, flap, flap, up into a tree!  To be honest, I'm not 100% sure whether it was the bird or me who made the Skaaa-eeeeeeeeech sound.




After my heart rate returned to the less than 200 beats per minute range I realized that either I was getting a letter from Hogwarts or I was privileged to wake up an owl who was resting in a recently fallen tree.  By that time I was about 50 yards down the road though, I had sprinted so fast.  There are many owls in this area.  After looking at several sites detailing birds native to Michigan, I believe that the bird I saw was the Eastern Screech Owl. I was also amused to learn that a gathering of owls is not a flock, but a parliament. :) I've seen and heard them at night, and there are several owl-watching groups at some of the local parks and sanctuaries.  But it's unusual to have a sighting during the day.  The last time I saw an owl when the sun was still out was a couple of years ago when my kids and I stopped to look at one perched on a telephone pole along side the road.  Truly, I had no anticipation of nearly running into one this morning.


I thought all the way home from my owl-encounter about my snide comments regarding those folks who prefer to run treadmills rather than the back roads.  Hmmm... there is something to be said for the safety of a nice owl-free workout room... but then I wouldn't have seen an owl!


Até amanhã... 
7/30/11 - 5.3 miles | 1 hour 8 mins | 4.6 mph | 582 kcal