Almost hit one today

A great gray owl, that is. I was on my way from work to Vincent and Nina's school music program. It had snowed this morning and there was still a bit of slush on the road, enough to make things a bit treacherous. I had seen five great gray owls in a short stretch of the same road earlier in the morning, so I wasn't surprised to see this one perched on a fence post on the right side of the road. But then suddenly it took off, heading straight across the road. With the snow and slush, there was no way I could have hit the brakes without ending up in the ditch. I didn't have time to think anyway. Luckily the owl had gained enough height, or it would have been hit by the bumper. Instead, although it came within six inches of the windshield the owl made it safely across by the width of a feather. I would have been devastated had I killed it. I've killed birds before with the car, and I remember just about every one.