Last night I heard an owl family in conversation. Their hooting was so loud that it was spooking the cats. Ordinarily they just call out to each other from the trees. This was different. Their hoots were echoing across the sky. Clearly there was a strong need to communicate something. I wish I knew what it was. Imagine living a life where you didn’t need a strong signal or miles of wire to talk. Or even a pen and paper. Just a good strong “hoot” to let your family and friends know what was happening.
The loon’s cry haunts me. But the owl’s call stirs my imagination. More than any other bird call, it makes me aware of a whole world out there that works at a completely different level. I feel so limited and constrained. When I hear owls talking, I tuck in and listen, momentarily transported to a world of mystery.