Silent Falls

The cold came two nights ago.  Yesterday morning, two great horned owls hooted to each other across warbler canyon.  I say 'to' each other on purpose.  They usually hoot 'at' each other. One hoots.  Then several seconds later, the other hoots back.  And so on.  I read that most hooting is by the males to claim or assert territory.  If they don't hear a hoot back, they've got unclaimed/undisputed territory.  Since I moved in there's been one owl that hoots from my house.  Most of the time, there has been no return hoot.  In the last month, there have been a few days with a return hoot from the other side of the canyon.  They get in a hooting match, and eventually the far hooter hoots no more.  (Perhaps he got hungry or bored and went to Hooters?)

Yesterday morning was different.  Neither of the 2 owls was my usual owl (owls have unique calls).  The one at my house called, and one answered from across the canyon.  Call and response went on as usual for awhile.  What was not usual was that the response owl got closer every time.  Once it was at my house, the 2 of them were hooting on top of each other (literally, but I'm assuming also the double entendre became reality soon after).

(Hey- it just occurred to me - maybe it was 'my' owl calling, but his mating call is different than his territory call.  Makes sense.)

Last night, the second near freezing night, was the first silent night since I've been here in March.  Startlingly silent.  Loud-hum-in-my-ears silent.  No traffic, which was unusual.  But what startled me most was the lack of crickets/katydids/frogs calling.  (I'm not sure what I'm listening to - but surely it's a combination of these things?) Complete silence.  Did they freeze?  Are they dead?  Or did all their calling work, and now they're huddled with their found loved one to keep warm?
Or did they go out for a drink?

It was so silent, we (my cats and I) could hear the deer nibbling my hibiscus.  Usually, I just get the unpleasant surprise in the morning.

I miss that night noise.