Category Archives: Notes/Obsvn.
Empty Nest
It seems that with all the exercising and commotion from the owlets in the last few days before fledging cleaned off the spider web to get a clean view. There were 5 eggs but only 4 owlets. It is not known what became of the 5th egg/owlet. Anyway, all 4 have fledged. First 2 on the during the night of the 23rd/24th and the last 2 fledged during the day of the 24th. The last 2 years I had not been able to located any of the family once they had fledged. This year, for the first time I found the male out roosting low, right infront of the nest a couple days before fledging, and part of the family was visible the morning of the 24th, when only 2 owlets had fledged. The male the lowest a sugar maple that is next to the nest box tree where he roosted before fledging, the owlets were a bit higher up, and the female higher still. The other 2 fledged before the evening of the 24th, and as of this morning of the 25th, they were out of sight. I could hear them, but could not find them. They sounded like they were higher up in the sugar maple that is fully leaved providing great cover.
oh good the spider web was removed, 4 owlets
Male roosting out front before fledging.
The family:
Male
Female, higher up facing the ‘wrong’ way
2 of the 4 owlets
Moving On?
The pair had been staying in the box for that last couple weeks, which until a few days ago it looked liked signs were pointing to a re-nesting attempt. But I don’t think it will happen. On 5/13/12 they both were out of the box roosting in the crab apple, and have not been seen since. My current thinking is that the will be moving on and merely foraging for themselves this summer. Hopefully they will be seen again come October.
Sad Ending….New Beginning???
Wait, what was that, is there something in the box??? I thought to myself as I am looking through a bunch of budding leaves and branches. I walk to a clearing and see something gray slink back down out of the entrance. Hmm, shouldn’t be a squirrel…are owls that plentiful that another owl would use the box while the family was away? So I watch a little bit, a squirrel sits on branch to the right(facing) of the box and a red phase screech owls swoops from out of the the near by yew and takes a pass at the squirrel and lands in the entrance. Uh Oh, the only reason I could think of that they would be back at the box would be because the owlet didn’t make it. So I took a walk to the area where I had last seen the owls. Sure enough I found the little owl on the road by a curb. So I would chalk it up to an auto. A second possibility would be it was too weak to survive a wind and rain storm that had recently passed through but I think an auto would be the more likely cause. Now Gehlbach has a section on Renesting but this is with failed nests,1 with chicks, but not much on fledging failures, I don’t know if this would be considered a second brood? I am hoping that this pair may try to nest again as they are back in residence.
Warning Last Image is Graphic (click to view larger)
Just after the male took a pass at the squirrel
Hopefully a new beginning
poor little guy
Only One Owlet, Lots of Photos
Site 1
Update from (4-20-12):
Got a couple more photos from Day 5 after fledging, This was their last day in the crab apple they have moved off now.
This site only fledged a lone owlet this year. Previously 2010 there were 6 fledglings, last year 3 fledglings. So it may just be a tough year food wise here, despite the ‘easy’ winter. Anyway, it fledged on the night/early am of the 14-15th of april. Which is just about a full week earlier than 2010 (with a first egg date of February 19th). They consistently have taken the same path through some large Yews to a Crab Apple, one of the earliest tree with leaves. They have hung out the last 3 days in the crab apple. Wrapping up this site as the owl family will soon be off and most likely unable to be located. As usual larger versions of the pics can be view by clicking 2 times (slow)
The dad just prior to fledging in a eastern red cedar
Mom in yew (day 1 after fledging)
Owlet in yew (day 1 after fledging)
Dad at the end of the row of yews (day 2)
Mom (Day 2)
Owlet (Day 2)
Dad (Day 3 crab apple)
Mom (Day 3)
Owlet (Day 3)
Day 5 Mom and Dad, the owlet was there but very well concealed so could really get an additional pic.
Unboxed Site Owl
Took a stroll down the street to see if the unboxed pair are still around, it would seem they are nesting now, based on activity. Prior to nesting owls are usually quite active right after flyout as was previously noted/blogged. There is lots of calling and they were fairly conspicuous. It seems once nesting is underway they are much quieter, the female would be incubating, and the male busy hunting. Not to mention it would not be ‘wise’ to be advertising their nest site to potential predators. I only saw this one owl. Also I cannot find where they are staying either the roost cavity or hopefully a nest cavity, it will only get more difficult as leaves start appearing on the trees.
She Made an Appearance
After the predawn visit, a couple weeks ago. I was almost positive that despite the male’s consistent presence that the female was dutifully incubating while he was standing guard. However, it is very nice to get a daylight confirmation. It was a nice day, and the owlets (hopefully) have enough feather insulation now.
Boxless Pair Copulating
I will have to come up with a clever site name for this one, as they only pair that I am observing that are not associated with an owl box. I am almost positive they both are gray phase, I have not found their preferred hollow(s) yet. But they do frequent a relatively small area and call frequently at dusk (just after fly out). Last night I heard them, then found them side by side on a branch. This quickly gave way to copulation, the male flew off and the female stayed put for quite a while (10-15 min).
The female is pictured here.
If Looks Could Kill
I had to drop some one off at the airport at 5:00am, so afterwards I headed to site 1 to try to figure out if the female had disappeared or if she was incubating under the male. The male, unlike other years, has been occupying (daily) the SQR type box that had been nest the previous 2 years. It seemed very strange, there is a second unoccupied box on site (150ft away) that he usually stayed in during the first part of incubation. It was ~ 5:50am when I arrived, I couldn’t find an owl silhouette anywhere, I gave in to temptation and whistled an imitation. Almost immediately I saw an owl fly off from the direction of the box to the left, and then a second owl. I saw what I think were two owls in a tree, one about 7-8 feet above the other, with some quiet calls between them. I set up a distance in front of the box and waited. I didn’t wait long until what I think was the female flew to the entrance and disappeared quickly in to the box. There was a few call that seemed to come from the box. A few minute later the male showed up and eventually landed in the entrance, there he stayed the rest of the day. So I am pretty sure the female is incubating eggs underneath. I hedge a bit just because it was dark and I never saw them at the entrance together, nor did I get a picture of a definitive gray phase (female).
The photo is right as the male landed at the entrance, the dilation in his eyes says it was dark!
Same Pair as Last Year
Got this email and composite from the owner of site 8.
Both owls have been seen regularly since mid February. The male is probably the “pale gray” owl roosting in the slot box. He is seen more frequently at dawn and dusk, with occasional appearances during the day. The “white face” female has shifted to the circle box and appears less frequently than the male. Her infrequent appearances have been made at dawn and/or dusk.
My Notes: its a bit more difficult telling the pair apart when they are the same color morph. But this composite is very helpful to document the same pair as last year, THANKS!
What’s He Doing?
Unlike the last 2 years, the male has been spending lots of time in the slot style SQR box. This has been used as a nest the last two years, with eggs being laid 3rd week in February. History would have him staying in ‘his’ box. I have not seen the female since early feb, which isn’t unusual as she would only make very brief breaks at dark and pre-dawn for pellet/bathroom breaks from incubating.
So, is the female down below incubating peaceably and he is standing guard?
has the female chosen somewhere else to nest?
or has the female disappeared and he’s hanging on the prime nest box?
ahh if only the cam was working. Hopefully this will be known as the season progresses.
More From Site 3
So the couple is still around, the female was in the ‘nest’ box, the male was in the ‘pole box’ and after it gets dark he seem to get less skittish. After fly out, he flew to a branch, then flew back to the ‘nest’ SQR type box and did some unusual calling, I have heard it call a “Geiger counter” call before, but this is the first I have heard it myself.
Gruesome Mystery
So I was checking out a place I hadn’t been to for years, trying to find some long-eared owls, I found lots of scattered pellets here and there, but no concentration of them that would indicate a favorite roost. Then at first glance I thought I found a pair of owl roosting 10-15 feet up in a group of red cedars near a salt marsh. On second glance I thought it was some black trash bag, (I was on the shady side), then ok it has feathers but its not alive, I was looking at its back and it was dark, I was thinking dead owl? dead harrier? made my way around to the front and the front was light, sort of streaked, juv. cooper’s hawk?
Then I saw the feet not raptors talons, mmmm, I don’t think I could see the head. After some ID work I think I have the ID down. But I would like to see some other ID if others come to a independent conclusion. It may always be a mystery how and why it got there in the first place. And struck out on the owl front.
Warning a bit graphic, so I put them in a small gallery format, just click if you want to see larger versions.
Switching it up
For the first time that I know of at this site the Male spent some time in the in the ‘nest’ box. Does this mean anything???? I guess time will tell. But its been fun watching them follow/chase each other around after fly out. Although they don’t stay still long so trying to a picture can be frustrating.
Just a quick documenting pic. A few seconds before he flew.
Copulating Couple
First, sorry no terrific photos (no photos at all) of the event.
The male was seen in the pole box in the late afternoon. He remains very elusive except when staying in this box, and even then he just seems skittish. The female was in the (previously nest) SQR type box (w/cam) a good opportunity to watch the couple at fly out. The female flew out first called a few times, and then was joined by them male. I got to observe a brief copulation and then they flew off.
The female from the inside the box, sitting in the hole before flyout.
The female from outside the box.
The male in the Pole box.
Three Owl Hour
After work, I headed to the much reported Stackyard Rd. Rowley, an area that for the last few weeks have had Short Eared Owls seen fairly regularly, I stopped by a couple time before with no luck, today there was one owl working the marsh to the north. It never got too close, started out 1/4 mile away and maybe got within 200 yards, decent looks through binoculars, but only a poor ID type photo especially with the setting sun. I had never seen a SEO before, I am not much of a list keeper, but I know which owls kinds I have and haven’t seen. (picture taken ~ 4:30 pm)
yes I know, can you even seen the owl?
After which I headed to Site 3 to get some more practice with night photos, The female was in the SQR nest box. This was the first time I had seen her in this box this owl season, and only the 2nd-3rd time she has spent the day in the box this season. She flew out pretty late (5:08 pm) as I was taking pictures I heard a Great Horned Owl to the north west. I heard it pretty clearly so it was fairly close, but not so close that I thought I could find it. The last screech owl picture was from 5:20 pm. So two types of owls seen and one heard, good way to start the weekend!
pushing the limits of owl stillness on this last one, 4 second exposure!
