Category Archives: Site 9
Red Recently
If this is the owl(s) that was seen in the mid summer, then the other of the pair is a gray phase. It is not known which is female or male. Anyway it seem the red phase of the pair has been the one to be most persistent this season in the box.
iso 3200
2011 Season Wrap Up
I was holding off on doing this hoping that site 9 would have a late nesting confirmed, but at this point I would be very surprised if fledgling are seen this late…but the summer activity does bode well for next nesting season.
Site 1
Massachusetts
Screech Owls,
Male=red phased
Female=gray phased
First Egg late pm 2/20/2011 or early morning 2/21/2011
# of Eggs……………..4
First Hatch 3/28/2010
# Hatched…………….3 (one egg most likely froze)
Fledged ……………….3
(1 fledged on 4/29/2011, 2 fledged 4/30/2011)
Site 2
Massachusetts
No Owls in Box,
House sparrows attempted,
Great Horned Owls nested 0.5 miles away…large owl pellet with rabbit remains at site 2.
Site 3
Massachusetts
Screech Owls,
Male=gray phased (confirmed 2011 perhaps new male for 2011)
Female=red phased
First Egg 3/30/2011 (+/- 2 day based on hatching)
# of Eggs ………….5
First Hatch 4 had hatched 5/1/2011
# Hatched………… 5
Fledged……………. 5
(2 fledged 5/28/2011, 3 fledged 5/29/2011)
Site 4
Massachusetts
No screech owls seen, Tree with box fell with a storm on December 27,2010 not replaced for 2011.
Maryland
Screech Owls,
Male= ?
Female=red phased
First Egg ??? similar 2011? food delivery March 13th 2011
# of Eggs…………. ??
First Hatch ???
# Hatched ………… 1+
Fledged …………….1+ (one fledgling was seen in entrance)
a href=”http://owloasis.wordpress.com/category/site-6/”>Site 6
Massachusetts
No screech owls seen,
great horned owls heard occasionally 2011
Site 7
Massachusetts
no screech owls seen for 2011
Site 8
Massachusetts
Screech Owls, 4 different seen and photo’ed 3 gray phased and 1 red phased
Male= Gray phased (browner)
Female=Gray phased
First Egg 3/27/2011 (+/- 3 days extrapolated from fledge)
# of Eggs………….
First Hatch 4/28/2011 (+/- 2 days extrapolated from fledge)
# Hatched ………… 3 (maybe 4)
Fledged ……………. 3 all by 5/26/2011(maybe 4)
Massachusetts
Screech Owls 2 (gray phased seen 12 days after installation, no sitings Feb-May, Gray and Red Phased seen June-August no confirmed nest
Male= ?(presumed red phased)
Female=?(presumed gray phased
First Egg none confirmed
# of Eggs.none confirmed
First Hatch none confirmed
# Hatched ………… 1+
Fledged …………….1+ (one fledgling was seen in entrance)
2011 Totals:
screech owl eggs …….13 + (12+ Massachusetts)(1+ Maryland)
screech owl fledged…..12+ (11+ Massachusetts)(1+ Maryland)
Pair Still Around
I stopped by at dusk today and both owls were around, in the trees near the box. With the 90+ degree heat we are having right now there is no need for the female to be in the box if there are eggs to incubate. So its still looking good for a potential late season nest, its still is not confirmed. Stay tuned.
(maxed out the iso and slow shutter = poor pictures but its better than nothing,)
presumed female
Iso 6400
presumed male red phased
iso 6400
Late Season Acquisition
It seems unexpectedly this site became active again after a spring hiatus. Late nesters?
perhaps the first nesting attempt failed or was disrupted? It seems quite likely that something is going on here.
from the owners:
We had a small red owl come back about 2 weeks ago. The next day there was a much larger owl sitting next to it in the house. Couple hours later both were not visible, could have been down in the house. Since then the little red appears from time to time but the large owl has not been visible
So it would seem the gray phase (larger owl) is the female, she popped her head out at dusk this evening so I could get a pic.
iso 3200
A Way to Install an Owl Box
After great early returns on site 9, (owl resident 12 days after installation) things had gone quiet. An owl had not been seen since the last days of January. I may have put the Box too close to the drive way, it may have been too busy for the owls liking. Of course there are lots of possible other reasons, but since there was a seemingly better option/tree a bit further away, with significantly less ‘traffic’- more secluded, I decided to move the box. It may not work this year, but hopefully be a better spot for future years.
As for the installation, just a few photos of a simple method to make life easier hanging an owlbox on a tree. Its not my idea, although I do not use a “complex set of pulleys”. Just one, and some hardware hooks and clothesline type rope.
First step is attach the hardware hook and pulley about 6″ above where you want the box to be attached, next thread the clothesline through the pulley and pull it down the latter with you (you will need at least 40-50′ of line).
next, attach a hook to the box, and tie the line too it.
Carefully hoist the box into position
and tie off on the nearest solid object/tree
now all you have to do is position the latter, screw in the box to the tree, afterwards unscrew the hooks on the tree and box, and bring, or drop (when in doubt, let it go) the hardware,pulley, and rope down.
It makes life on the ladder that much safer.
