The boy’s back in town! Mr. Screech Owl, that is
Guess who just got back today
That wild-eyed boy that had been away
Haven’t changed that much to say
But man, I still think them owls are crazy
With apologies to Thin Lizzy, I did feel like shouting with joy when I looked up from my yard work on Sunday and spotted the first screech owl of the season in the neighbor’s ligustrum, a favored owl perch every year. I assume this is a male, scouting for nesting locations, and of course I hope he’ll choose our owl box for his lady love. The owl box has attracted a screech owl pair every year since 2010.
If there’s a female already in the box, we haven’t spotted her yet. I think it’s a bit early for brooding, since we usually see chicks in May. Until then, my fingers are crossed, and I’ve got the camera with the long lens at the ready. It’s bird-watching season at Tecolote Hill!
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He’s a handsome fellow and I hope you get a screech owl pair again in your owl box! How exciting – Spring has arrived!
Nearly, Peter, nearly. —Pam
Wonderful. Glad to hear there is some use for ligustrum. Last spring I had an owlet and parent in my backyard. Got all excited and thought of installing a box in the fall. Then noticed that the neighbor behind me had a box. Decided against installing one – did not want to create a territorial dispute. Owls are so lovely and to hear their trills in the evening or early morning is exciting. Love your photo!
I imagine he must like the evergreen cover that the ligustrum provides. It almost makes up for all the ligustrum seedlings I have to pull every spring. —Pam
I get what you mean about the need for that long lens. I saw a similar fella in live oaks out front just last week. I tried to – so quietly! – scoot closer to get his photo but only managed to annoy him into flapping away. I could practically hear him thinking “nope – this spot is WAY too traffic-y for me and my gal!”. From now on I’m keeping my owl watching restricted to checking here for updates.
Aw, that’s too bad. The owls that perch over our back fence each year are tolerant of “visits.” I got right under this one with my telephoto pointing up at him, and he only gave me a slit-eyed stare. I guess he’s used to me working in the garden. Maybe yours will settle down too, Deb. —Pam
I’m glad to see one good use of ligustrum. 🙂 I’ve heard one (or two?) and have seen them in the neighborhood, but so far, none in my box. Soon though, I hope.
I bet so, Tina. No sign of activity in our owl box either yet. But we typically spot an owl roosting in the ligustrum beforehand. —Pam
They clearly love the Tecolote Hills. Hope they choose your box again. No sign over here even with the second house up. I’ll blame it on those people building next door.
It’s early yet, Jenny. Hope you get one this year! —Pam
You’ve always such a great job of sharing them with us, I selfishly hope they DO choose to settle in your garden once again.
Me too! 🙂 —Pam
Great picture Pam! I’m crazy for those screech owls.
They’re wonderful to watch and to listen to, aren’t they? —Pam
How exciting for you. Hope you see more family members soon!
My fingers are crossed for another May brood. —Pam
La Loma Tecolote is well named! Maybe I should name our place something similar, because our Ligustrum has never attracted anything since our arrival. It does grace us with a ground cover of seedlings, though.
I’m afraid I get a good crop of those every year too. —Pam
Lucky you! I hope they stick around. I put in two houses last year and so far all I’ve had are a litter of squirrels in one of them. They were very cute, but not what I want living in the houses. Last weekend I saw starlings scoping out the other house. The house is too high in the tree for me to reach so I grabbed some rocks and proceeded to throw them at the house hoping to discourage the starlings from taking up residence. My aim was not very good but I did get them to fly away. I just hope they don’t come back!
Margo, the boxes do take a bit of maintenance. We get a squirrel in ours most winters, and we roust out her nest in late winter (Jan.), when the owls are starting to scope out nesting sites. Twice I’ve seen an owl and squirrel in our owl box within a couple of days of each other before the owl takes up permanent residence, so maybe it’s not such a big deal and the owl can take care of things itself. But I do like to take out the huge nests that the squirrels build in there.
Also, have patience. We had our box up for a year before we got an owl. Maybe this’ll be the year for you. —Pam
How fun! I hear great horned owls in our neighborhood sometimes, but I just read that they don’t want/like boxes, and also, they are capable of eating other owls, so I’m not sure if my neighborhood is a good candidate. I would hate for a screech owl to move in and get nipped by the great horns! Anyone have experience with this?
Dani, all winter we hear both great horned owls and screech owls in the garden or in the greenbelt behind our house. It’s true that great horneds may prey on screech owls, but they obviously co-exist in nature, with or without owl boxes. The box will offer protection to a screech family, which tends to hunt in the tree canopy, while great horned owls hunt from higher perches, sitting atop telephone poles and roofs to search for movement below. I would say go ahead ahead and put up a box. If you have trees in your neighborhood, I bet you already have screech owls, and the box will give a pair a safe place to raise their young. —Pam
And you’re right — the great horned owls are too big for owl boxes. They build their own nests. —Pam
Yay! I loved your owl pics last year. The closest I’ve gotten here was a brief sighting of one in the Albizia outside my home office window silhouetted by city lights but of course he flew off as soon as I made a move to pick up my camera.
What a stinker. Hope the next one sits still for you. —Pam
Awesome! And what a great shot! I LOVE them. Western Screech-Owls used to nest in the trees around my old place, and I’d hear them almost every night. I don’t miss that house, but I really miss those dear little owls! (Have only heard Barn Owls at the new place… love you too, Barn Owls!)
I’d love to see a barn owl. There are so many interesting species of owls! —Pam
The past 4 years I’ve watched the Decorah Eagles and other bird cams on “raptorresource.org”. On the “What’s New” section they have info on different owls. A few weeks ago they tried to steal the eagle’s nest during the night as they had not started laying yet, but have been driven out now. Evidently they don’t build nests, but try to take over from other birds or tree hollows, etc. It’s a great site and there’s activity into summer at one nest or another. The infrared cameras also catch activity at night.
Bird cams are amazing. I didn’t know that great horned owls would steal eagles’ nests. Interesting! —Pam
How exciting. I always know spring is right around the corner when you start posting about the owls. What a treat to see them in your own garden.
Spring is on its way, Lisa, and I hope that love is in the air. —Pam
We have one, too! Moved into the house we installed a few months ago. We don’t know if it’s a guy or gal but seems to be getting used to the fact that people live nearby. I call him Dr. Hooo.
I hope you’ll have some little Hoos down in Hoo-ville in a couple of months, Ruth. —Pam