mh434
New member
- Oct 28, 2014
- 473
- 9
- Parrots
- Yellow-naped Amazon "Sammy"
Love birds (4)
Green-cheeked Conure "Skittles" - now, sadly gone from my life
Blue-Crowned Conure "Tequila"
African Grey "Reno" - sadly, now gone from my life
I know this isn't a parrot incident but, as we're all bird people & love 'em to pieces, I thought I'd share this one.
This handsome guy (Barred owl) came to visit us one night last winter. We were watching TV, and kept hearing thumps on our (2nd floor) living room window. Whenever we looked, there was nothing there. At one point, we peeked out on the balcony, and this guy was sitting there on the corner of the railing, staring intently at a window off to the side - with cages of Lovies on the other side! He was clearly intent on having one for dinner, but the screen & double glazing wasn't making that easy.
While we were out on the balcony, he went for the window again, and got his claws (talons, I suppose!) caught in the window screen. Thankfully, he freed himself without injury.
My wife had just gone to grab her camera, and the owl flew off to some tree tops 50 yards or so (and 100' up) away. It was very dark, but I was still able to spot him in the treetop with a powerful LED spotlight.
My wife was lamenting not being able to get pics of it so, entirely in jest, I stuck my arm out like a perch, and called to the owl. We were watching it (with the spotlight) and could see its reaction - it dipped its head, took off, swooped down to me, and flared for landing on my arm! It was at that point I considered 1) hmmm...thin sleeves on my jacket, and 2) long talons, so at the last second I gently pulled my arm back, and the owl landed on the railing beside me, appearing slightly miffed at the rejection!
He was amazingly calm. I stood and talked to him for about 45 minutes, and was able to reach out and stroke his head & "skritch" his neck - he was clearly enjoying it as, at one point he settled in with one foot up, all fluffed up, and closed his eyes.
We were able to see him close up (I backed away from him some, so my wife could take this picture) and he wasn't banded, which I would have expected if he'd been tame/released. He lives on our property among the first-growth cedars and, although we see him from time to time, we haven't had another "close encounter".
Anyway, I was so thoroughly charmed with this encounter, I had to share it here, with other bird lovers. Hope that's okay!
This handsome guy (Barred owl) came to visit us one night last winter. We were watching TV, and kept hearing thumps on our (2nd floor) living room window. Whenever we looked, there was nothing there. At one point, we peeked out on the balcony, and this guy was sitting there on the corner of the railing, staring intently at a window off to the side - with cages of Lovies on the other side! He was clearly intent on having one for dinner, but the screen & double glazing wasn't making that easy.
While we were out on the balcony, he went for the window again, and got his claws (talons, I suppose!) caught in the window screen. Thankfully, he freed himself without injury.
My wife had just gone to grab her camera, and the owl flew off to some tree tops 50 yards or so (and 100' up) away. It was very dark, but I was still able to spot him in the treetop with a powerful LED spotlight.
My wife was lamenting not being able to get pics of it so, entirely in jest, I stuck my arm out like a perch, and called to the owl. We were watching it (with the spotlight) and could see its reaction - it dipped its head, took off, swooped down to me, and flared for landing on my arm! It was at that point I considered 1) hmmm...thin sleeves on my jacket, and 2) long talons, so at the last second I gently pulled my arm back, and the owl landed on the railing beside me, appearing slightly miffed at the rejection!
He was amazingly calm. I stood and talked to him for about 45 minutes, and was able to reach out and stroke his head & "skritch" his neck - he was clearly enjoying it as, at one point he settled in with one foot up, all fluffed up, and closed his eyes.
We were able to see him close up (I backed away from him some, so my wife could take this picture) and he wasn't banded, which I would have expected if he'd been tame/released. He lives on our property among the first-growth cedars and, although we see him from time to time, we haven't had another "close encounter".
Anyway, I was so thoroughly charmed with this encounter, I had to share it here, with other bird lovers. Hope that's okay!
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