A Mild Night

The scree from a Little Owl woke Henry, but not in a frightening way, he knew immediately what it was and imagined it wide-eyed in a treetop surveying its territory for prey. Most call them German Owls and it is unusual to see them except around autumn when they sit on the power wires – probably fledglings which is why many become road kill because feeding on road kill is what they do.

A full moon shone brightly through the window and although it was just past 2:00am he slid quietly out of bed to have a look around.

It’s not Henry’s habit to wander around during the night, but on reflection he has done his share.

As a lad helping his father deliver milk during all weathers and then going off to school. Or attending fires in and around the forest as well as keeping watch after a controlled burn-off. And of course there were those spotlighting episodes for undesirable animals that did damage to the forest – and yes chasing off the looney, illegal spotlighters.

This night was unusual because it was so warm. The only time the nights are warm is when there is north-westerly weather but those times are windy. Warm nor’westers are caused by rain-laden clouds rising and dumping their load on the west side of the ‘Alps warming the air as it descends on the east. Adiabatic it’s called. The same as the chinook and foehn winds.

This night the air was still and warm.

A huge cheesy disc bathed everything in its pale light and Henry saw four rabbits feeding on the lawn – one of them paused to scratch before a warning thump of its foot sent them scurrying for the shrubbery.

He felt them watching from their haven as he walked towards the paulownia tree where he expected the owl to be sitting.

The fragrance of the pale blue foxglove-like flowers wafted towards him – no wonder bumble bees are attracted to blue! The paulownia has the lofty title of Empress Tree in Japan and is sometimes called the Imperial Tree of China, but it’s not for the flowers, the name comes from the high value the Japanese and Chinese put on the timber.

Those corky seedpods were used as packing when shipping china – early polystyrene chips!

Henry picked up a fallen flower and didn’t need to hold it to his nose to enjoy the fragrance – such sweetness you won’t find in a chemist shop!

The owl had long-since flown off, perhaps after some quarry but there was the cooing of the wood pigeon woken by Henry’s tread – not am alarm but requesting a reply. Joining the conversation he cooed in reply, but the bird was having none of it and with a flurry of her wings, she sought safety on a higher perch.

In a nearby paddock a lamb bleated for its mother and was immediately given a comforting reply as they settled down again to sleep or chew their cuds.

Just a few more steps took him to where he could hear the cackling of the river below, peering over the bank he could plainly see ripples that reflected moonlight. He could see the dark shapes of paradise ducks, with the glowing white heads of the males. They constantly honked, bickering and arguing over the most comfortable stones to lie on, or competing to sit next to the most attractive female.

The pied stilt woken by the noise, screeching in protest, these are the birds to fly in at eye-level warning off approaches to their nests or chicks. This time he was just moving away from those pesky, noisy ducks.

Turning away from the bank, Henry saw that two of the rabbits had left their cover, nervously venturing to chew on the short grass – looking up after each nibble, moving their ears like antennae searching for a signal.

Looking skywards, the Southern Cross was clearly visible in the cloudless sky but the moon cast too much light, drowning out most of the smaller stars, while others hung there like little bulbs hopefully sharing their brightness.

Henry was content with the peace of that still mild night. He felt like spending more time out there because the experience was so very rare, but tomorrow he had plans and to make them happen, he needed sleep.

As he lay in his bed, still euphoric from his stroll in the moonlight, he reflected on his good fortune, realising few people on this earth are able to experience such peace and indeed pleasure.

He closed his eyes, not to sleep, but to shut out thoughts and memories of the world’s troubles and of its condition.

There would enough of that when he switches on the radio news at six o’clock!