Owl – caught in a floodlight.
This owl has been my neighbor for a long time. Rarely seen from his perch not far away. Yet the other evening when I turned on my outdoor floodlight, I was as surprised as he was surprised when sudden light illuminated everything.
He froze – no motion at all.
I froze – I did not want him to take flight.
We both spent several motionless minutes assessing the situation. Was this a case of he who speaks first, loses?
The double insulated glass gave us both space. Whatever he saw as he rotated his head 270 degrees did not spike any alarm. No motion, no scent, no noise. Just two shapes suddenly visible to each other.
With no perceived threat, I slowly raised my camera, took a series of photos and silently moved away from the glass.
He went back to his job, hovering over my vegetable garden looking for the same critters I try to chase away in the daytime. I hoped he would be successful.
Do you take the time to assess your situation before you take action?