Barn Owls were thought to be the animal messenger

of wizards and witches, 

and some witches were even said to

ride on owls rather than broomsticks. 

They were also associated with ghosts.

A spider crawls upon its web

Up in a tree where it is spread 

Entangled in a web of doom

 tick - toc- tick - toc-  

the "witching hour" is near