A SCREECH OWL TWO STEPS AWAY!

I was out tonight with that gorgeous full moon shining. I was taking some kitchen scraps out to the compost pile when a movement caught the corner of my eye. Something had been on the ground and had flown up to a small branch. It stayed and stayed just sitting there. As my eyes adjusted, I could tell it was a small screech owl. I had no idea they hung around all winter in my backyard.
Of course I had no camera. ( Do YOU take your camera out to a compost pile late at night? LOL)
Soooo...I slowly moved backwards and walked back into the house to get one.

I was guessing there would be a 100% chance that the owl was gone....I mean, why would it stick around for me?
But...it must have really wanted to get back to hunting in that little spot of the yard. I stepped, took a picture, then stepped again closer until I was just two steps away.  We spent what seemed like an eternity looking at each other. Then, in a flash, the owl was gone. Have you ever been so close to something wild that you didn't want it to end? That's how I felt.
I really want to make some owl boxes for this garden.
David/ :-)

He was not at all scared of me. I got the distinct impression that this was his garden, not mine. :-)