Owl House

Kevin, the house is still vacant...
However, we are really cooling off so my fingers are still crossed.
I will report any new tenants.

Thanks Jeff- he is a little character! We actually staked him out the other night, waiting. He finally flew from the nest, landed on our deck railing [our house sits on a ridgeline so the deck is about 12 feet or so off the ground and basically "in the trees"]. Sat for a few, then flew to the fence below and sat on a post there. No doubt surveying his estate. Then took off as dusk settled and threaded the needle through the oaks. It was really amazing and something very cool to see.

Maybe "he'll" gift you some castings. Nothing nasty, just things they get rid of that can't be digested. Basically a ball of bones and fur that didn't go through the entire GI tract. You can tell what it's been eating by pulling it apart. I've regularly found them in years past. I remember seeing tiny rodent teeth but it could have easily shown me varying hare remnants. It was during the winter and I do believe our only overwintering owls are Great Horned and Snowy Owls. We're the most southerly range for Snowy Owls. They are large enough to kill and eat most anything hare size and smaller.

Maybe "he'll" gift you some castings. Nothing nasty, just things they get rid of that can't be digested. .

We have  barred owls that hang out on our property. You do not even have to see them (though we do frequently) to ID them. They bark like a dog!
Knowing we had barred owls I have been looking for an owl pellet for 15 plus years. My daughter and I found one last February.  I posted this pic at another Shave forum at the time.

You can see the top of the skull as the large white patch. The leg bones are visible as well.  The majority of the pellet was the gray fur of mice or voles.


My daughter and I were very excited to find and see this bit of nature.

Phil

Very interesting PhilNH5 - still no sign of any owl pellets in or around the nest in our yard.

On another note, our owl has become a man... spotted a female in the nest opening this past weekend but was unable to grab any images at the time and have not seen here since.

Hopefully they will put on some Barry White and we will have little ones in the spring time.

Very interesting PhilNH5 - still no sign of any owl pellets in or around the nest in our yard.

On another note, our owl has become a man... spotted a female in the nest opening this past weekend but was unable to grab any images at the time and have not seen here since.

Hopefully they will put on some Barry White and we will have little ones in the spring time.

Kevin, I don't think the owls eat or regurgitate where they sleep. Owl pellets are notoriously elusive. If there's owl chicks in spring does that make you a grampa by proxy?
Mark

Hey primotenore, any luck? We definitely have a female along with the male this year- she is VERY skittish whereas he is used to us and the dogs and sits there.

She scampers down inside if we come outside. Will try and grab some pics this weekend nonetheless and hope that you've a tenant.

With that grouchy face I can't imagine any self respecting she owl falling for him.

Teach him to smile.


Great photos.

Hey primotenore, any luck? We definitely have a female along with the male this year- she is VERY skittish whereas he is used to us and the dogs and sits there.

She scampers down inside if we come outside. Will try and grab some pics this weekend nonetheless and hope that you've a tenant.

Hi Kevin,
I have been in Mississippi since January 25, so if we have an occupant, I am unaware of it. It's been very cold at home, so perhaps when I return next week, we'll have a some news to share with DFS. Fingers are still crossed.

Hey primotenore, any luck? We definitely have a female along with the male this year- she is VERY skittish whereas he is used to us and the dogs and sits there.

She scampers down inside if we come outside. Will try and grab some pics this weekend nonetheless and hope that you've a tenant.

Hi Kevin,
I have been in Mississippi since January 25, so if we have an occupant, I am unaware of it. It's been very cold at home, so perhaps when I return next week, we'll have a some news to share with DFS. Fingers are still crossed.  

Looking forward to good news- I wasn't able to grab any images of the female but we noticed that she has been sitting in the opening at night while he's out hunting. Leads me to believe she may have some eggs in the nest.

Was finally able to get some pics of the female... not in the nest but roosting in a nearby tree.