Pursuing Owls

Pursing owls: 

still pursuing owls, choosing different early hours to walk, all well before sunrise, and sticking close to the edge of water where they're most likely to be found. This has become somewhat of a quest for me, to locate the exact tree an owl calls form and draw as near as possible, phone in hand in case I'm fortunate enough to record their call or perhaps even the opportunity to capture one in photo. It's exciting for me to hear them from a distance and then track them by sound as near as I am able. The few times I've been able to record them clearly have been sheer luck on my end and the courtesy of owls revealing their presence to me, usually when I'm just beneath their resting tree. 

and of course this leaves me wondering how often I'm observed without given any notice, eyes from the woods tracking my wanderings with wary curiosity. I'm sure owls, foxes, and possible my local coyotes have all watched as I've pursued them each morning, possibly amused by my not so stealthy tracking. My every chance encounter has been by grace, no skill on my end other then the endurance to keep walking until I stumble upon them as they're returning from their night hunt. 

it's grace, the curiosity of the animal and no small amount of luck that bring these auspicious occasions to me - and I am always grateful for each encounter. 

so I'm still pursuing owls, and honestly not for a photo opportunity, nor even to record their sound, although I certainly appreciate having these tools at my disposal, and will make use of them if I'm able. Really though, I'm pursuing owls only for their company, their wild sounds thrill me to no end, literally causing my arm hair to rise as their calls intensify. Their presence is enough for me, not even a sighting truly matters as long as I sense that they are near. It's same with my other nocturnal friends, knowing that as long as I am patient, enduring, that they will eventually reveal themselves to me. Pursing owls seems to earn me these auspicious occasions. 

and that's the true purpose of these early hour walks. 

grace, 

being revealed to me. 

~

Peace, Eric