Beautiful day

We've had another beautiful day: mid-seventies, mostly sunny, nice breeze. I had a good workout at the gym and my spirits are generally good. The pooch and I are on the deck feeling appreciative.
An interesting thing happened the other day. It was Easter Sunday actually. I woke to a flapping sound. At first, I thought it must be my dog shaking himself in the living room, but he was asleep on the floor next to my bed. Later in the day I heard it again, but couldn't trace where it was coming from. A foray into the basement revealed a greenish puddle on my box of dryer sheets and a small scratching sound. In retrospect, I should have been able to identify the puddle right away. But the source of scratching eluded me.
I proceeded with my plan to put away winter clothes (yes I know not terribly festive for Easter). In the basement once again came big scratching and flapping and suddenly a big brown speckled bird was flying at my head. I shrieked, just a little. It was more of a squeak really and ducked. The bird was out of its mind with terror. It had already flown at the door upstairs twice, I now knew. I couldn't imagine how it knew that was the way out as it certainly hadn't come in that way.
After a few laps (him)  and a few more squeaks (me) he was upstairs in the apartment proper. I came up, ready to duck. He was hanging off the blinds in the bathroom. When he saw me he came zinging through the living room, into the kitchen and up under the curtain on our front door. There, he beat his wings against the glass as though he might push through.
My quick plan was to catch him up in the curtain, since he was already there and shake him out outside. But he must have felt me creeping up because he shot out and back to the bathroom.
OK new plan. I opened the door and turned to chase him out, but he was two steps ahead of me. Out and straight up a wall of trees like a rocket he went. It was amazing to see.