Monday 29 June 2009

The baby owl


On the morning walk with the two boyz we found a dead baby owl. It was spread out on the soft earth legs and wings akimbo as if it had suddenly fallen, mid-flight, into a deep and peaceful sleep. A hawk had probably chased it until it was exhausted and its small heart simply gave up. I found myself picking up the poor wee thing with a tenderness that I can't explain. You see chicks that have fallen lifeless out of their nests almost every day but there was something quite exceptional about the young owl. Even in death everything about it exuded simple majesty; the noble head, the graceful wings,the powerful beak, the infinitely varied tones of its feathers. Its sheer privileged perfection overwhelmed me. I laid the little body down under the shade of a tree and found myself shedding a single private tear . Amid the thunder of life there was time in the early morning silence to take stock of the fact the farm has lost one of natures genuine aristocrats.
When the family came down for breakfast they asked me if I'd seen any owls this morning. I said no. It was only half a lie.

2 comments:

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

What a touching post. We hate to hear of anything happening to an owl. They are so special.

XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh and Java

marinedinburgh said...

Like you, I'm a Polish Lowland Sheepdog tin-opener from Scotland and I'd like to let you know that you have kept me sane in the last six months when I was on a contract for the NHS and the boredom wss driving me to distraction. You are a gifted wordsmith and a talented photographer - your blogs just made my day. I am now thankfully free of the numb-numbing tyrany of the NHS and at home with my Polo but still looking at your blog every day. Your boyz are beautiful - and so is my PONS Sasha, all 12 yrs of her.

Please carry on with your blogging - I also liked your political ones.

Kind regards.
Marinedinburgh