The McMinnville hospital lies across the highway and west of the Air Museum.
Behind the hospital is a parking lot, then open fields. There is a
quarter-mile-long, oval walking track with a rubberized surface surrounding
the parking lot. Carol and I started walking there for exercise 6-7 years
ago. I've continued the practice several days a week.
The area is lit with 8 tall lights, mounted on cement pedestals. I've
walked past the 4 lights on the 4 corners of the parking lot every lap I've
made around the track for years. My focus has been on logging my miles at a
good pace. Today I took a closer look at the base of the light on the SW
corner of the parking lot, to check a bit of dark debris I've seen on the
pedestal.
It was an owl pellet. Further inspection revealed that there were 6 owl
pellets below that light pole, adjacent to the open field. Then I checked
the base of the light at the SE corner of the parking lot, also adjacent to
field, and found 3 more pellets. I checked 10 more light posts, without
finding any more pellets.
None of the pellets were new. I have seen Great Horned Owls on low posts in
the fields behind the hospital. I expect they are the source of the
pellets.
In today's language, we would say, "Well, duuh." In an earlier time, we
would smack our forehead with the palm of our hand.
Paul Sullivan
Trying to pay attention
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