Sleepy, grumpy screech owl
I looked out my kitchen window at noon today and saw one very sleepy screech owl nodding off in the owl box we’ve hung in one of our live oaks. She was resting her chin on the lip of the entrance hole, which is quite a bold place to nap since a blue jay often flies at the box to harass her.
She caught sight of me and dropped down to the bottom, but about 30 minutes later she reappeared, perched in the entrance hole, and comfortably dozed off. True, it’s just after lunchtime and the day is warm, around 80 F (26.6 C), so who can blame her for feeling a bit nappish?
Wha? Who? Did someone say something?
Might as well look around, now that I’m awake.
All seems fine. Perhaps just another 40 winks then.
Oh, it’s you!
If you would kindly put away your camera and step away from the window, I’ll have another nap, thank you very much!
All material © 2006-2012 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Pam,
Is it easy to entice them to live in the box? I couldn’t tell you when the last time was I even saw an owl. Plus, how do you keep the squirrels out of it?
Build it, and they will come, Randy. You can find plans for building your own box on the Audubon website and elsewhere online. We got our first owl a year after putting up our box; this is our third-year resident. We had owlets the first year but haven’t seen any since then. We’ve pulled out squirrels’ nests from time to time, but the owls seem content to move in even if squirrels have been frequenting the place. —Pam
I believe I remember when this nesting box was put up. Do the Owls ever bother you?
Nope. The first owl, which raised a family in the box, would tolerate us walking beneath the box even when she was sitting in the entrance. Subsequent owls have been shyer, hiding when they see us come outside. None has ever been aggressive toward us in any way. —Pam
Too cute! I’ve been wanting to install one of these in my backyard but I’m afraid our oaks might be a bit small and scrappy for one… don’t think I could install it higher than 10ft off the ground.
Lucky you!
Aww…he’s cute!
What a cutie. Lucky you having this little cutie to watch. I hope it successfully nests there.
How lucky!I just love owls!
Too cute!
The perfect pet for a garden!
I love your owl pictures! Thanks so much for putting them on your website. I put up a screech owl box last fall near Shoal Creek and Steck. The squirrels have been loving it. Tonight at twilight, I noticed the inhabitant.
It was dim and shadowy, but something was different. It would look around and then stare intently at me with eyes that were much more visible than before. I approached and it burst from the hole sporting what looked like a 12 inch wingspan. It disappeared into the trees, and then the rain started. I’ll try to get pictures.
I’m new to this. I bought a Stovall Screech Owl Box on Amazon, and nailed it to a tree fifteen feet up facing south at the edge of a slightly wooded area. The bottom of the box has a few inches of cedar shavings.
Congrats on your tenant, John. The owls are fun to watch once they take up residence. —Pam