Just thought I'd share a short story....last week I was driving down a rarely traveled dirt road and saw what appeared at a distance to be a rock standing on end in one of the tire ruts. As I approached I steered out of the ruts and drove right up next to a spotted owl asleep in the road.

I looked at it directly below my drivers window and it just sat there, then opened one eye and looked up at me, but did not fly away. It looked as if it had been there a while, as there were numerous (5?) spots of poop in the area it was sitting.

Now for the fun part....I got out of my truck (with the door swinging directly overhead of the owl) and squatted down next to the owl, just looking at it. It appeared to have regurgitated a portion of shrew or mouse, although it was difficult to be sure. Any way, I decided to see if I could get it to climb up on my finger. I thought to myself, "Be careful. This little guy could really put a bite on you!" I reached under the owl, and he started to step up, but then stepped off again, so I put my two middle fingers under its breast with my index and little fingers outside its legs and tried to lift it up. As soon as its feet came off the ground it flew up in a tree a few feet away.

I have run into spotted owls probably 5 or 6 times in my life and in every case, they have been very docile. This was the first time I have ever actually touched one, however.

I'm curious. Can anyone tell me if this is their natural demeanor? If so, it's no wonder that they are in danger. I could have easily crushed it under my tires, or a coyote or cat could easily have gotten it.

Listen, I love critters, and while I'm not against hunting, fishing, or logging, I personally have seen the life go out of enough eyes, and so don't hunt any more. I still fish and bonk my share, but even that is not done without respect for the resource and the fish.

Seems to me that it would be a pity to lose these cute little birds because they don't recognize danger. Although not endangered, their demeanor reminds me of water oozels (sp?), not much afraid of people and fascinating to watch. Fun stuff for this old goat.