The Owl and the Pussy-cat

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea     In a beautiful pea green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money,     Wrapped up in a five pound note. - Edward Lear Yesterday, as I watched the sunset here in Baiting Hollow, a Great Horned Owl landed on the top of a pine a short distance down on the bluff; he was silhouetted against the pink fading light, a very large bird, though his weight did not seem to bend the topmost branch. He seemed to watch and listen to me for a minute. But then quite unexpectedly, and almost equally rarely, a cat came round the corner of the front cabin, and soon the owl took off. Of course I was reminded of Lear's famous poem. I know there is a Great Horned Owl in the woods behind me, but I've never seen one on the bluff before. I saw a male hummingbird perching on a branch near the rear cabin almost immediately on my arrival here last sunday. I see him occasionally several times a day as he does the rounds of his feeders, never lingering unnecessarily. I've only seen a female once - she lingered at a feeder but then sped back, presumably to her nest. I'll post pictures soon. In the mean time, here's a snap of one of the beautiful places we visited in North Carolina on our way back north, Hope Plantation near Edenton.