Have you ever lost your favorite spot? I’m Lars, an adult male owl, and that is exactly what happened when an apartment resident installed a motion-sensor light on his balcony. My usual pipe beneath the balcony was dry, high, and perfect for watching the courtyard. But now, whenever I turned my head, the lamp switched on directly above my beak.

On the first night, I froze. The light went out. I leaned over to inspect the flower bed, and it flashed on again. After the third attempt, the resident came onto the balcony in slippers, adjusted the sensor, and went back inside. I turned my head again. He returned with a screwdriver and aimed the sensor lower. Now the lamp reacted not only to me but also to a lilac branch below the balcony.

The wind moved the branch, the lamp lit up, and moths gathered around it. This was suddenly useful. I perched closer and began catching the ones flying near the shade. Every movement I made turned the light on again, and every burst of light brought another serving of dinner. The resident looked out through the door three times, silently watched me, and finally brought out a stepladder. I politely moved to the lilac, because even an owl understands what it means when a human is holding a roll of black electrical tape, It is better to keep one's distance.

The resident covered the sensor, tested the lamp with his hand, and went to bed looking satisfied. The light stayed off, the moths scattered, and I returned to my pipe, where I could watch the courtyard in peace again. The problem was solved.