Scantlings

A friend at work told me about the owl that has made friends with their dog, Tobby. When they take Tobby for a walk the owl perches in a tree by the trail and when they move past the tree, the owl moves down the trail to another tree and repeats the process as the continue with their walk through the wilderness area. Quite a story. But it got better. Seems her husband came running back to the house to tell her she had to come see what had just happened. When he and the dog rounded the first hillside, the owl took up the normal position along the trail. But up ahead there were several police officers having a conversation and looking around. When the owl took off again, it headed to the middle of a big field and started to circle. Tobby took off barking into the field thinking the great rabbit hunt was on. A couple of minutes later, a guy jumps up and starts running. The police do a double take and take up the chase. After the arrest, one of the officers told her husband that he didn't know how the owl and the dog did it, but thanks for the help. It's one of those stories that is too strange not to be true. Pat

Very cool story. We humans often underestimate the smarts of other critters we share our planet with.

How big of a dog is Tobby? Bald eagles have been known to carry away small dogs here on the coast. I recall a story of a man who had his small poodle snatched from his arms near the Haida Gwaii ferry landing. Not sure if another raptor, like an owl, would be any different. I hope the owl is just enjoying the company of Tobby dog and not eyeing him as a potential meal. ; )

I find it fascinating watching different species engage with each other in play.

Thanks for sharing your interesting tale.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsJHKLshVk

No, she said Tobby is a big dog, so not a likely meal. Now our poodle with a missing foot is a small and tempting target. She gets a close watch when out and about. Your Bald Eagle story kind of makes the point that we need to watch her even closer. Thanks! Pat