This afternoon, while sowing seeds in our 10’x10′ garden in what has become known as the Great Green Experiment, my neighbor walked over to the fence. We talked about gardening, something else, something else, and then the vulture that made an appearance on our street over the weekend. The fact that this massive bird was feasting on a slow rabbit on our street was pretty amazing considering A) this is an urban neighborhood and B) I’ve never seen a turkey vulture this far north. It was worthy banter. And so we continued on raptors.
Her: “Do you hear the owls at night?”
Me: “Yep. They’re everywhere.”
Her: “Do you hear them attack the squirrels?”
Me: “What?”
Her: “No, really? They attack the squirrels and those poor things make a screaming sound. It’s awful. I hear them all night. You must sleep really well to not hear them.”
Me: “I do. Thank God.”
Of course now I’m paranoid that once I begin to drift off tonight I’ll hear some squirrel scream in the pecan tree above our room. Followed by a ‘plop’ on our roof and the rustling of feathers and talons as the owl fights the vulture for ownership. So I’m basically fucked for sleep tonight.
***
KidGMan
May 17, 2010
We have a Big Barred owl in our apt complex, I usually see him around 12:30 am when I get off the bus. He’s either swooping from tree to tree or on the wooded lawn. Squirrels fight and scream when they’re pissed off during the daytime too! Pleasant dreams
Jess C.
May 17, 2010
Wow. Thanks for sharing right before bedtime…
*sweet dreams*
Matt Totsch
May 18, 2010
If you have problems sleeping, just do what I do and count squirrels…
julia
Sep 18, 2022
I heard a LOUD 8 second squirrel scream outside my window in the maple tree last night. Then total silence. Strange. I wondered if something got the squirrel.