Every time we walk into our barn the first thing we do is look for Screech, even though he hasn’t visited since last year. Last Saturday, we were tickled to see him ‘peeking’ out of his favorite cubby hole.We hadn’t seen Screech since last year. We thought he left to find another place to live because a guy got greedy and cut down several acres of trees in the woods near our home. (Yes, I know the guy owns the land and it’s his right to log it off, but it doesn’t change our being unhappy about it…)

We figure Screech and his Mrs. nested each year in that batch of woods. The area looks so bare and treeless with huge stumps and limbs laying dying and scattered around. We were sad to think that we may never see Screech again.

*I apologize for the sad quality of these photos. I didn’t use a flash because I was afraid I’d frighten Screech. I took probably a dozen photos and only a couple of ones turned out clear enough to tell that Screech is an owl. I used a photo edtitor to try and clean the photos up. I made crops out of the original photos for the close-ups…

Screech wasn’t in the barn Sunday. We’re sad he didn’t stay. My husband says that Screech is probably testing out places to visit while hunting and maybe sleep this winter. I figure he’s right. Screech must be quite traumatized from the destruction of his woodland home. He may even be testing our barn to see if it’s still safe or if it too is going to be taken away from him. Bless his heart and bless all the other critters who suffered the trauma and loss of the woodlands.

We’re happy that at least for an afternoon, we got to see Screech again and know he’s still surviving.

Wishing you all a wonderful wildlife Wednesday!

.