Shade Tree Wisdom 2/9/15

          A number of years ago my wife and I were returning from a brief trip to visit family.  We were stopped, waiting for a light change so we could make a left turn when we were startled by an object flying across the hood and diving into the shrubbery planted along the roadside.  The mystery was quickly solved when an owl emerged clutching a mouse it had caught.  We watched as it flew to a limb in the tree opposite and began eating its catch.

          I was reminded of the incident when the newspaper recently carried an article reporting that the Barred Owl is quite common in the Houston area because of the many wood lined waterways.  They are night creatures, but late afternoon is a good time to watch for them because right now they are seeking nesting places.

          Barred Owls have ears set one above the other, so they can pinpoint noise in the dark.  Their eyes are also allowing them to see in near dark.  They capture a variety of rodents, snakes, toads, squirrels and small rabbits.

          And the Lord God created them to be able to survive.

GPD 2/9/15