• Home
  • Diocese
  • Bishop Burns
  • Synod
  • Columnists
  • Revista Catolica
  • Vatican
  • Subscribe
The Texas Catholic
The Texas Catholic

Dallas, Texas

Today is Sunday, March 26, 2023
  • Home
  • Diocese
  • Bishop Burns
  • Synod
  • Columnists
  • Revista Catolica
  • Vatican
  • Subscribe
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    • Instagram
Home
Father Timothy Gollob

Father Gollob: Thoughts on owls and cats

Monday, July 27, 2020

By Father Timothy Gollob
Special to The Texas Catholic

Having introduced you readers in my last column to the mechanics of bird-watching, or rather bird thinking, it seems like a good time to relate these categories to some practical applications.

One of the delusions of birders is the burning desire to have a list of all the birds one has identified in one’s life or in one particular state or county or even in one’s own yard.

This delusion has led to the “rare bird alert”! If someone sees or hears an unusual bird for a certain place, then it is customary to share the location and other particulars with others interested in birds.

If one has a gap in his or her life list, then the desire to fill that blank space will drive someone to drive many miles and face many obstacles to get that bird “id'” and penned down as a “lifer”.

An example of this would be the snowy owl. This bird likes to hang out in the Arctic tundra, but every now and then it seems that one will wander South after new excitement and adventures.

One came Dallas way several years ago. Many bird listers hastened out to see it. The bird was very cooperative and posed for pictures for several weeks. It was because that owl has adapted to the 24 hours of daytime light in the Arctic.Parent Owls can hunt all day long and need good eyesight for that task,rather than good ears

Finally I could not stand the desire to go and get it on my list.

I went to Lake Ray Hubbard with Fr. Fred, not to fish, but to get that bird. We got bad advice as to where it was, and all we saw was a white spot on a distant tree which turned out to be a rotten branch. Later an scientific bird identifier came to town from Austin to look for the owl, but by then that bird had “flown the coop”.

The closest thing that I have now relating to the snowy owl is a painting of one by my good friend Jan Collmer. He has gone on to his reward in Heaven, but his bird portrait keeps his memory alive, However my life bird list still has a blank space!

Father Timothy Gollob is a retired priest of the Diocese of Dallas who served for more than 50 years as the pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Oak Cliff.

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest
Next article German author says retired Pope Benedict is 'extremely frail'
Previous article Pope makes surprise visit to summer camp for kids of Vatican employees

Related Posts

Father Esposito: Happiness as the blessed life Columnists
Friday, March 10, 2023

Father Esposito: Happiness as the blessed life

Father Dankasa: Two voices in one Columnists
Thursday, March 9, 2023

Father Dankasa: Two voices in one

Prayerfully using Lenten seeds for Easter growth Columnists
Friday, March 3, 2023

Prayerfully using Lenten seeds for Easter growth

Texas Catholic Classics

A look at the five Dallas law enforcement officers who gave their lives while protecting citizens during a mass shooting in downtown Dallas in July 2016.

 

How a child with special needs inspired a high school volleyball team, community and a family who heeded God’s call to protect life.

 

After a young runner collapsed at a Dallas marathon, grace and providence unfolded for those involved in the valiant effort to help her.

   

In the summer of 2016, 50 students and 25 chaperones from Dallas Catholic high schools traveled to Nicaragua for a 10-day mission trip.

 

Early on a November morning, Kenndrick Mendieta bounded from the gym at Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep toward the campus’ athletic fields as clouds lifted on a fresh new day.

 

Subscribe

Get the award-winning Texas Catholic delivered to your door. Use the menu below to subscribe now.


Subscription length




 

Photo Gallery

Click here to find your favorite Texas Catholic photographs.

The Texas Catholic Newspaper

Catholic Diocese of Dallas
Michael Gresham, Editor

3725 Blackburn Street
Dallas, Texas 75219
(214) 379-2800

Our Affiliated Sites

Texas Catholic Youth

Revista Católica

Legal and Other

Contact us

Terms of service

Privacy policy

Site map

Site powered by TexasCatholicMedia

© 2013-2019 The Texas Catholic Publishing Company. All rights reserved.