When I was growing up, the woods surrounding our house were frequented by little screech owls. We could hear their haunting calls at night, but I never saw them. I’ve loved the sound ever since. A few years ago, my cat captured a nest of sparrow chicks. In a desperate attempt to save them, I took the entire family to a wildlife refuge and rehab center here in the mountains. While touring the center, one of the vets introduced me to a nest of screech owl hatchlings someone had saved. There they were, three incredibly fluffy little balls of gray feathers with enormous sleepy yellow eyes. I was immediately smitten.