The Mystery Owl

I am not well informed on birds. I know the common songbirds and a few unusual migratory birds. When we moved ten years ago, I learned more about some of the birds in this area. We have Scissortailed flycatchers in the spring. They have very ungraceful, erratic flights, as if that beautiful tail is holding them back. We have Indigo Buntings - as beautiful as peacocks and tiny. There are killdeer who build their nests on the side of the road and then behave as if they are injured and run to distract you from the nest. We also have owls.

I had seen little owls at the barn and was accustomed to hearing them. But I was not prepared for the beautiful owl that appeared in the headlights of my car on a stormy rainy night. We were returning home late and in the headlights we saw a beautiful gray colored owl that appeared to be stunned. He/she was standing in the middle of the gravel road in the pouring rain. We sat and watched and were almost as stunned as the owl. After a few minutes, it flew away. Fortunately, I have witnesses or I would think I had seen a ghost!