The community campfire was getting low so I went to get a couple of
woodchunks from my pile behind my house. I turned on the backporch lights so
I could see where I was stumbling. I gathered up an armload of wood then
froze as a northern pygmy owl materialised on the low cedar branch in front
of me. It must have been sitting there all along, probably hoping I would go
away. If I had not had my arms full of firewood I could have reached out a
touched it. It was right in front of me, maybe 25 inches? We locked eyes and
the little guy got nervous and started shifting his weight. I backed up a
couple of steps and it flew right over my shoulder. Instinctively I dropped
the wood and raised up my hands to protect my face. The fire wood mostly all
landed on my foot. Later, after telling my story around the campfire, we all
heard the distinctive series of hoots. I am still limping, its kind of a
physical manifestation of the encounter.

Rob Sandelin
HYPERLINK "mailto:Floriferous at msn.com"Floriferous at msn.com
Maltby, WA


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