I finally got around to cleaning up the back door area and one of the
Douglas squirrels who owns my woods starting going ballistic. At first I
ignored it but it went on and on and was such a ruckus I figured there must
be some reason for all this noise. I grabbed my bins and went looking. The
squirrel was easy to find, but what was it so excited about? I finally saw
the small owl, perched a few branches below the squirrel, blending in very
well. If it hadn't turned its head I doubt I would have seen it. The owl
outlasted the squirrels objections, finally the squirrel went off on its own
business and the owl settled back in for its afternoon nap.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer, Teacher
Snohomish County