A Visit from Hedwig

[mamadeb]

The owl, I mean. And she didn't bring a letter from Hogwarts, either.

About 2:30AM, we woke up because we heard something in our bedroom - things were falling. At first Jonathan thought the ceiling was falling, but no. It was some huge bird.

He turned on the light, and I promptly acted like a 21st century woman. Not. I hid under my sheet and pillows, I did. I could hear the bird flying around the room and hitting the walls (okay, it wasn't Hedwig. Too stupid.) as Jonathan tried to shoo her to the window. Which was, at that point, pretty much closed. We think she came in through a gap at the side of the air conditioner.

Eventually, he removed the a/c completely, and then the screen and opened the window wide, and took a mop handle we keep there for opening and closing high windows, and after many exhortations ("Out the window, Bird. Come on, Bird. Out the window." Crash against the wall. "Come on, Bird."), she left.

Only after she leaves does he tell me it was a snowy owl. And he was terrified. Which is only natural when a very large and equally terrified bird of prey, complete with sharp beak and talons, invades your bedroom. However, she was also apparently very beautiful and I deeply regret my cowardice.

Took him many hugs, and a shot of whisky and hours of playing "Snood" to calm enough to sleep. He's working at home today, we think, and I'm in a daze.

Comments

[imkalena.livejournal.com]

Hey, WAIT! Don't you live in the CITY?? Man, I'd kill just to see a wild snowy owl. Don't you think it's a little portentous (not in the foreboding sense, but more like: "full of unspecifiable significance; exciting wonder and awe") to have one show up in YOUR BEDROOM??

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Yeah. We live in Brooklyn. There's a lot more wildlife in NYC than people know about, including large birds of prey. And parrots who live in large lightpoles.

Not thinking about portents.

And, yeah. I didn't get to see her! Darn! If only he'd said "owl" once.

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Wow...how almost-cool (if terrifying *g*)

A bird got into our screened-in porch (with slight gaps where the dog decided she doesn't *want* screens) and despite having found its way *in*, it took two hours for it to find its way *out* - and that was even after I propped open the back door wide.

The expression 'bird brain' had to come from somewhere, I suppose. :)

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Yep.

But the crashes against the walls was...special.

And yes, "almost-cool" covers it.

it was probably a barn owl, not a snowy

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

Barn Owls nest in NYC, Snowy Owls are rare winter visitors. Creeping into a building through a hole is typical Barn Owl behavior, Snowy Owls like to sit in fields and other wide open spaces. Both are very pale and large -- Barn Owl wingspan is 44 inches to Snowy's 55. Did J notice the eye color? Barn Owl has dark eyes, Snowy has yellow eyes.

Either way, I envy J extremely & wish you hadn't hidden under the covers.

Re: it was probably a barn owl, not a snowy

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Huh. Well.

I don't think Jonathan actually *appreciated* it. More...

Anyway, it had dark eyes, and he concurs. It was a barn owl.

So. Not Hedwig.

[axiom_of_stripe]

meep! that's a heck of a big predator to have in your bedroom! i'm glad you're both all right and able to appreciate things like seeing (or almost seeing) a snowy owl that close up.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say Jon appreciated it. :)

But, in retrospect, way cool!

If you didn't look...

[texasmeercat.livejournal.com]

...how do you know it WASN'T Hedwig with a letter or message for you? Hmmmmmm????

Meercat

Re: If you didn't look...

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Because Hedwig would have sat politely and held out a leg, instead of crashing into the walls. And then, after I'd given her whatever we had in the way of owltreats, she'd have gone on her way neatly, without a fuss.

But I admit. I have been wondering...

Re: If you didn't look...

[texasmeercat.livejournal.com]

Maybe it was the transatlantic flight...she was tired, exhausted, befuddled!!! If I'd flown non-stop across an entire ocean, I'd probably bounce into walls, too! :)

Re: If you didn't look...

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Turns out. Barn Owl.

Not that that precludes mail - just probably not from Harry.

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

owls! wow. scary, but also really interesting.

by the by, on an HP note - can you recall if Snape ever mocked the Weasleys for being poor? rapparee needs it for a story. :)

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Indeed.

Snape doesn't seem to mock his students' families. Just the students themselves.

So. I don't recall him mocking the Weasleys for being poor. And given OotP, he wouldn't.

[iroshi.livejournal.com]

No, he's mocked Ron for his clumsiness, and his inability to brew a potion correctly, but not for his lack of wealth. I have to concur.

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

That's what I was thinking.

Also, he doesn't seem to do...general insults. Malfoys pere and fils do - familial things, like red hair and poverty - but Snape seems to confine himself entirely to individual characteristics.

[kmelion.livejournal.com]

my parent live right near Brooklyn College and apparently many years ago, some students let loose a bunch of parrots which now live in the tower. They roost in the trees near my parents and the flock is quite large.

And noisey.