Dirty Little Story

The Great Horned Owl was as dry as the mud; even the dirt in his mouth was dry and powdery. Dirt had been ground into his eyes and the right eye was injured with a large cloudy area indicating loss of vision. His head turned slowly and rhythmically toward the left as if he was watching a one-person tennis match in slow motion. Clearly, the bird had suffered a major blow to the head and had spent some time struggling in mud and brush. He had large burrs stuck in the soft feathers of his belly and was using all his remaining strength just to stay upright.