P had just got home, and thought he might have heard one of the BRs. He asked me, and I said it was just a very agitated squirre. A few seconds later, we discovered the source of the squirrel’s agitation because a magnificent Barred Owl swooped up through the underbrush andl landed on a branch above the woodpecker feeding station. I was sure he’d fly away in a few minutes, so I snapped a bunch of crappy photos with my phone. He stayed put, though, so I sneeeeaked in the house and got a proper camera. I need not have sneaked; this owl was fearless! P was shooting video with his phone, we were talking, I was talking to the owl and walking around the patio, and…zero fucks given. Owl-y McOwlface didn’t budge. He stayed right where he was until I was standing right beneath him, and noticed those enormous black eyes had zoomed in with laser precision on…Onje. I literally shooed the owl away because I knew he’d missed the squirrel, so he was hungry, and although barred owls do not usually prey on cats, they are perfectly capable of carrying one off. Onje may annoy me occasionally, but I don’t want him to be eaten! Even when I shooed the owl, it went only over to a tree just past the edge of the patio. Utterly fearless, and very lovely!

Also, I forgot to post this cool dung beetle that I found on the patio on 09-15. Not as majestic as the owl, but still interesting!