C065

One night last summer I heard a strange noise. It seemed to come from the top of a tall tree in front of my window, it was like the noise made by striking a thin, flat piece of wood with another thin, flat piece. I lay awake a long time listening to the strange sound, but at last I went to sleep without finding out who made it.

Early the next morning there was a great twittering and fluttering of birds. I went outside to see what was happening. First, a robin would dart down as if about to land on the ground, but instead he would quickly fly up again. Sparrows, blackbirds, and other robins followed quickly, swooping and darting through the air, calling loudly all the time. As each bird came near to the ground, I heard again that strange sound of the night before. I went closer to the place where the birds were circling about. What do you think was there? It was a baby gray owl that had flown too far from his home.