Critters
Photographs and stories by Alexa Walker

SCREECHIE
Bamberger Ranch Preserve, Texas

Another member of the "teaching staff" at Bamberger Ranch is this sometime visitor, the cutest little screech owl you could imagine. He was injured in a collision with a car, and beyond rehabilitation that would allow him to be released back into the wild. And so he is cared for, and taken out to some of the educational events at the ranch. And lucky people like me get to meet him, and even honor him with a photograph. I think I was the one who was honored, for I was grateful to be in his presence, and the gift was mine.