Pat's Owl

Pat Zepp joined me today in my annual winter trek through the “wilds” of Brimfield on a quest to count all the birds that can be found. The occasion was the Sturbridge Christmas Bird Count, a part of a 106-year tradition of documenting bird populations throughout North America sponsored by the National Audubon Society. While it is a count, not a competition, there is some pride taken in being able to provide the best possible data. Thus, Pat was subjected to the determination of Tom Clay and me starting our search for owls as soon as possible, i.e. midnight. This year we were so frustrated by the lack of cooperative owls (not to mention the single digit temperatures) that we actually took a ninety minute power nap back at Tom’s house at 2:30 AM. In the end, the sun rose on three very cold birders who had no owls to show for their efforts.

Not content to show up at the compilation (a reading of the list of species so each of the sectors can report their tallies) owl-less, Pat and I headed out to the location where I knew at least one Long-eared Owl has been roosting lately. When we got there, we soon heard a Great Horned Owl calling, just like we had expected…in the middle of the night each of the two times we had stopped there! Buoyed by this, we set off in the snow into the stand of pines. It was not easy going, but we were determined. Going on such little sleep in addition to having walked miles in the freezing cold all day made this an effort of sheer desperation.

And then it happened. I had taken a cell phone call from my wife, and while explaining to Gina that we were bushwhacking in desperation, the Great Horned Owl called again from very nearby, and from even closer a female Long-eared Owl responded with her distinctive slurred call. Pat’s eyes lit up as he pointed in her direction and said “THERE!” I had paused my conversation and clearly heard the owl call again. While I explained to Gina what we were hearing, Pat said with a big smile, “I got that owl, that’s my owl!” How right he was, he worked hard for that joy, and he had the privilege of being the first to receive it.

That is what Advent is all about. It is a long journey and can take a lot of effort to get to the point of finding Christ. There is every reason to take great joy in the glad tidings that Christ is born!