Owl Be Seeing You Again

I was working with the birds of prey doing the ‘Wings of the Springs’ show at Silver Springs Nature’s Theme Park in Silver Springs, Florida. Naturally, I built an affinity with certain birds. Although I got along with most of the birds I worked with, it seemed the owls I worked with took a special liking to me, and vice versa. Although it was unremarkable to have had that happen with the birds in my care, it did not explain the odd occurrence that happened with the wild owl population that year.

It was the Fall of 2009 and I had been working at the Springs for just about a year. We had an educational program in which one of us would take a few birds to an outpost building in a small cove off of the Silver River, which was part of the Silver Springs Park. The Jungle Cruise boat tour would come out to the outpost and dock there and we would walk out on the dock with one of the birds, and talk about the wildlife rehabilitation program Silver Springs was so well known for. This particular afternoon I was the person doing the Outpost shift. I started hearing the distinct ‘hoot’ of a barred owl in a nearby tree. Nothing unusual about that. When the day was done and I headed back to the mews (bird of prey housing) to put away the birds, I again heard that barred owl ‘hoot’ out back. And again, I thought nothing of it.

The next day I was across the park tending to the parrots in the Parrot House. When I went outside, I once again heard the same ‘hoot’. That got my attention! Especially since we knew there was a red shouldered hawk who regularly hunted in that immediate area, and birds of prey are territorial. I was dumbfounded as to why this owl was there hooting at me. But, I ignored it and went on with my day.

One of the things I had to do that day was to walk up a long pathway to an area of the park we called ‘Ross Island’, named after the famous Ross Allen, who was responsible for making Silver Springs famous. He was the first person to start milking venomous snakes for use in preparing antivenin to treat people who have been struck by venomous snakes. We had various bird cages on the island we would post the parrots so park guests could admire them. As I was doing this, I yet again heard that distinctive ‘hoot’ of a barred owl. I scanned the area where I had heard the sound coming from, and I saw my owl friend in a low hanging tree branch where I was working. I stopped and spoke to the bird. Much to my amazement, the owl was focusing on me, and, in spite of my close proximity and attention, he did not fly away! I had a history of having some interesting encounters with wildlife in the past, so after this third encounter I decided to pay more attention and do a little research into owl lore.

Back at the wildlife station for lunch, I began to ask my coworkers if they had noticed any unusual behaviors in the wild population of barred owls that surrounded the park. Not one of them had, and when they asked what I meant by unusual, I explained how it seemed that I had been followed around by owls and that wherever I went they would show up and vocalize. My coworkers thought maybe it was just an odd coincidence.

Over the course of the next few days, I had the same occurrences happen with the owls. Most of the time I was alone, but it happened even when I was working with my coworkers. After the third day, even my coworkers started to take notice. One of them suggested I volunteer to take animals to the Silver River’s annual Ocali Festival that was happening over the weekend. She knew a Seminole who would be there. His name was Swamp Owl. My co-worker told me he had been given that name after an unusual encounter with a barred owl and that he might be able to give me some insight into my encounters.

That evening I went home and started doing an internet search about owl lore. I found that owls are sometimes seen as bad omens to a great many native tribes throughout North America, and can be seen as a messenger of death. Probably the most interesting image I found was that owls were seen as creatures who sent the living to the afterlife. With so many conflicting ideas, I was determined to not read too much into the odd encounters.

The next day we went to the Ocali Festival down the road. I was going first with my presentation so that would have left me to wander the festival grounds after I did my program while my coworkers did their presentations. After my program, my coworker pointed me in the direction she had seen Swamp Owl.

Finding a Seminole in full warrior regalia atop a black horse was not too difficult, even in the sea of people the festival had attracted. When I approached him, I admit I was intimidated, but he had an easy, friendly manner and he put me at ease. After explaining to him the details of the owls that even my coworkers were convinced were following me, Swamp Owl thoughtfully considered the lore. He told me how he acquired the name ‘Swamp Owl’. It was after he had lost a good friend of his who passed away, and he had been asking the Heavens for a sign his friend was alright that he sat back against an oak tree and fell asleep. He dreamed a barred owl was showing him his friend who had passed on and was ‘doing ok on the other side.’ When he awoke, he saw a barred owl perched on a low branch right above his head. The owl was staring down right at him, and was not afraid, and did not fly off. He told me to search my own heart for what the owl or owls were attempting to relay to me. I thanked him and left.

That night my head was reeling with what Swamp Owl had told me. I recalled my own lost love who I had been concerned about how he would be spending his afterlife before I ever encountered the barred owl that day at the Outpost. After much thought, I decided the owl was trying to tell me Gregg was at peace after all, and that I should let it rest without letting it weigh on my heart and mind.

The next few days were completely uneventful and there seemed to be no sign of wild barred owls anywhere. Their sudden disappearance was just as baffling as their appearance, but I concluded the owls really were sent to answer the question I had been asking God to help me understand. Gregg was all right and I would be seeing him again someday. I just knew it.