Meet a root-borer, most likely the broad-necked root borer, a type of beetle, its very large and was found after a thunder storm, it looks like the storm may have interupted some egg laying. Its pretty slow owl wise, things should start picking back up in August with dispersal of the young owls.
Month: June 2010
No Nest?
With no new sitings in the box since the end of April.
It Looks like it was just a temporary stay, not a last minute nesting here. Hopefully the owl will find the boxes to its liking over the winter into the spring.
Owl Movie? Owls of Ga Hoole
Normally I keep this ‘blog’ very focused and more logbookish…but thought this looked (animation) really well done.
Great Horned Owls Still Around
Great horned owl(s) were heard midnightish on the June 15, Although they are not heard nearly a frequently as the were before the storm on Feb 26th, they are still in the area. But it is unknown if the were able to have a successful nesting this year. So far no screech owls here, maybe with the horned owls being around less (or at least being heard less) it may open things up for them next year.
Bluebird Eggs Abandoned
Well it looks like the 5 bluebird eggs aren’t going to hatch, and the female has been MIA for the last few days. The male has begun calling from the tops of trees and from the house, in vain it seems.
Meanwhile, house sparrows are trying to build a nest in the screech owl ‘slot’ style box(SQR). 3 almost full nest have been removed. they didn’t have anything to do with the failed bluebird attempt, as the monofiliment detered them fine.
Flickers and Foxes
Its been quiet for the most part, since the family of screech owls left, but some activity recently. There is a pair of yellow-shafted flickers diligently building themselves a nest cavity in a maple (norway?) trunk. The tree is quite close to the roost box and roost cedar used by the male red phased screech owl. (cedar is way to the left in the picture, and the nest trunk way to the right)
Interestingly, flickers not only build cavities that screech owls can later use, but they also clean out cavities (owl boxes) that have been filled with squirrel nest/leaves etc… Last spring I remember watching leaves fly out of the opening of one of the normal style owl boxes I had up, quickly followed by the head of a flicker, then it continued cleaning out the box. It only used it as a roost. But could provide a valuable service to screech owls as well.
and on a side note, just a morning picture of a dozing fox that was here as well
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5 Successfully Fledged
the first 3 fledged the night of Saturday May 29th, and the last two fledged in the Afternoon of Sunday May 30th. With the amount of hiding/roosting places given all the maple trees around, they have not been found during the day.
Owl Oasis Trail 