It started October 1st, when we arrived very, very late at Hayes State Park, the weekend of Bill’s MIS racing weekend. As we drove down the road to our camping loop, a large, light colored bird swooped down into the road, then ascended up onto a tree branch as we got closer. All I had was my phone, my camera was packed away and in this light, I knew I couldn’t get anything. But we slowed and for a moment we got a closer look. It was definitely an owl, and after searching Google Images, the closest photo I could find was that of a barred owl.
I’m pretty sure that was the first time I’ve seen an actual owl, in the feathers. It was one of the highlights of my weekend, and I wished I’d have at least tried for a photo. I didn’t think too much of it after that, until we kept seeing them.
I know that when you give your attention to something, you start seeing it. Like when you’re car shopping and you finally decide on a model and then you start seeing them everywhere. They were always there, you just didn’t pay it any attention before. But it seemed, at least to me, that I’d forget about the owls because every time one popped up, it seemed like a surprise. ??
Not long after the camping trip, Bill heard one leaving for work. He combed through owl recordings online and finally found one of an Eastern Screech Owl that sounded the closest. That night we spread out a blanket in the backyard and played it back, hoping it would answer, but never heard anything.
We saw billboards on the freeway with owls on the way to Greenfield Village.
Countless times in social media feeds.
Mentions of owls in books I’m reading.
Shopping in today Costco a security system caught my eye.
And just as I type this, in a commercial. No joke.
So I looked up the symbolism, just for grins. There is much information on different meanings, but the Universe of Symbolism states that seeing an owl repeatedly means there is a message, a warning that you must pay attention to. Great. Because I’m so perceptive.
I found several references about the owl being the harbinger of death. Reading this made me feel a bit better. Whew. I don’t know what to make of it all, but it’s got to mean something. If I figure it out, I’ll let you know.
Who knows. Maybe it was the Tootsie Pops I bought for Halloween.
Have you had this happen? Please share in the comments.
Owls have been super commercialized for years now. We tried documenting it but ended up being overwhelmed bu the volume of pictures. I wonder if it is a Chinese thing. The symbolism, I mean.
Owls are top level predators, specialized for night hunting from their big eyes and acutely tuned hearing right down to their feathers, which have evolved wirh a stealth capability that is virtuallt silent on the swoop.
Just saw another. I hope that screech owl visits us again.