Owls in The Night

I've been seeing a lot of the great outdoors these past few nights, courtesy of Savannah, who insists on going outside after midnight on most nights. If I sleep through her barked requests to visit the grass, I wake up to find a puddle on the kitchen floor, so being outside along the driveway grass really isn't an option right now.

Last night as I opened up the back door, there was a huge something on the concrete driveway near the light fixture. When that something swiveled his head towards the right to look at me, I quickly realized what it was--- a very large owl. He must have caught either a small mouse or snake in the grass and was ready to fly away with his midnight snack when I startled that huge bird. So I may have saved the life of a garden snake or a field mouse because when the owl flew up and away, his talons were empty.

That owl taking flight scared the heck out of Savannah, who doesn't need much to be scared. She watched the owl flying into the sky and then decided she didn't need to go outside after all. I had gone to the trouble of putting on my coat and boots, so I wasn't giving up that easily and I pulled her down the steps and out into the driveway. Well, being true to her puppy self, Savannah wasn't giving in that easily. She walked up and down the road with me but didn't do anything so I brought her back inside. I kept my coat on and waited a few minutes and then took her outside again. Thank goodness for a puppy-memory like a sieve... Savannah went out there and did what she needed to do and I was back inside the house in just a few minutes.

I've heard plenty of owls since we moved out here, but last night's owl was the only one I've actually seen on our property. I know there are more owls out there, most likely sitting up in the trees and watching me walk up and down the driveway with this puppy who very rarely sleeps through an entire night.