Ever since windows were installed in the mews last fall, it always makes me smile to see the birds enjoying the view. Carson basks in the early morning sun and Aldo flies to his window perch whenever someone walks by. But I hadn’t had the opportunity to witness Theo the Great Horned Owl taking advantage of his new feature. I knew he used it; he left evidence of mutes (the technical term for bird waste) and pellets under the window, but he always returned to the back of his mew to sleep by the time I arrived at the Museum. I even peeked into his mew once before sunrise, hoping to catch him looking out, but still found him on his favorite perch in back.
(He reminded me of a favorite childhood movie, The Little Princess, when the father tells his daughter that dolls come to life when we leave them alone in our room. “But before we walk in and catch them,” he explains, “they return to their place as quick as lightning!” Theo also seemed to return to his place as if by magic, quick as lightning.)
I got a surprise this week when, as I turned into my office, I glanced out the back door. Theo was staring back at me, sunning himself at his window. He stayed for a few more minutes, then settled back into his daytime roost. It really must be spring if an owl is willing to stay up late to soak in a few warm rays.
Carson the Red-tailed Hawk (left) and Theo the Great Horned Owl (right) enjoy the warm morning sun.
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