Early December – The Screech Owl Returns

December 8, 2024

            The darkness of night has settled in.  Daisy and I walked through the neighborhood, weaving past runners carrying flashlights, neighbors walking dogs.  After yesterday’s rain, it is still chilly.  Today the barn was busy with riders getting ready for lessons while others just looked for a dry place to walk their horses.  Willis’ paddock was still soft with mud when I went out to check his hooves and get him out in a dry place.  It took a while to pick out the mud and dirt, then rinse his hooves – which he didn’t like – and then brush on some bleach and water.  We walked all over the property, the only thing we could do with the covered arena occupied with lessons.  This weather reminds me of how good we horse owners have it in Texas with weather we can usually ride in all year long. 

            The owl pokes his head out of the box each evening around 5, sometimes earlier.  He arrived later this year, on November 17, assuming it’s the same screech owl.  We have not checked the camera yet; after a couple of disappointing seasons of with no owlets, this year we are letting nature do its own thing – at least so far.  Deer wander the neighborhood in the early morning and evening.  Sometimes a buck will chase a doe, but it seems like the rut is slowing down. 

            Some of the trees are changing color.  There is a magnificent sumac tree that I often stop to admire when Daisy and I walk, its canopy transformed with gold and orange and red leaves.  Throughout the neighborhood we pass more beautiful sumac trees,  Bradford pear, a Chinese tallow.  Even crate myrtles are changing, their tiny delicate leaves shimmer in the sunlight.  

December 15, 2024

            Today I walked in Central Park along the ponds where the bald cypress trees were turning red.  The ponds are overgrown now with reeds and willows, a consequence of a warmer climate perhaps?  It was astonishing – so much of the pond taken over by vegetation.  Years ago, this time of year, flocks of red-winged black birds would be flitting about the brush.  A great blue heron might be spotted.  One Christmas we saw a bittern, but today, just turtles. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Bittern/id

           Friday, at the barn, a fine drizzle fell through the morning, and at 58º it felt more like 50º.  50º is not cold, but there I was, bundled up in a thermal shirt, fleece pullover and jacket.  Of course, during the riding lesson I took the raincoat off.  Crazy time of year.  Willis has not needed his blanket yet, though his paddock mates both wore sheets.  Their owner told me they were shivering and get cold easily. 

            The owl is still in the box and leaves before 6 p.m.; we still haven’t turned on the camera.  A coyote came through our yard this week!  We have not seen a coyote in the neighborhood in a long, long time.  Tim immediately placed the trail cam by the deer water trough.  We have been getting a lot of deer passing through each night, but the coyote, maybe just passing through, is special. 

– Christine Baleshta