Eastern Screech Owls are fairly easy to imitate, and the do readily respond to imitation calls, However, it does NOT seem to attract them to a box. Whatever reason the Owl responds to the imitation, it doesn’t seem to make a Box any more (or less) attractive. So I would recommend to use sparingly, its is good to ‘see’ if screech owls are around the area, but may be detrimental if over used.
Two skills are needed,
1) gargling, well more like imitating the sound of a dentist suction hose
2) whistling, combine the whistling with the suction house gargle, and viola just need to get the pitch right…the descending ‘whinny’ or the monotone ‘bounce’
Month: July 2010
Flickers Close to Fledging
It had been a few days since I saw activity around the flicker nest, granted it was just glances every so often, but I was beginning to think the nest had been a failure. Not so, as at least 2 young have been hanging around the entrance recently and should be leaving soon. Hopefully, they will stay around to get an accurate count.
2010 Season
Site 1
Screech Owls,
Male=red phased
Female=gray phased
First Egg 2/19/2010
# of Eggs……………..6
First Hatch 3/23/2010
# Hatched…………….6
Fledged ……………….6
(4 fledged on 4/23/2010, 2 fledged 4/24/2010)
Site 2
No Owls in Box,
Starlings attempted
House sparrows attempted,
Bluebird, (bluebird box, w/ monofiliment house sparrow deterant)
5 eggs laid, all infertile, none hatched.
Site 3
Screech Owls,
Male=red phased
Female=red phased
First Egg 3/31/2010 (+/- a day)
# of Eggs ………….5
First Hatch 5/2/2010 (+/- a day)
# Hatched………… 5
Fledged……………. 5
(3 fledged 5/29/2010, 2 fledged 5/30/2010)
Site 4
No screech owls seen
Maryland
Screech Owls,
Male= ?
Female=red phased
First Egg 3/7/2010 (+/- 3 days)
# of Eggs…………. 2 +
First Hatch 4/7/2010 (+/- 3 days)
# Hatched …………2+
Fledged …………….2+
Site 6
No screech owls seen,
great horned owls heard frequently until Feb 26, 2010 storm,
then heard occasionally.
Site 7
no screech owls seen,
screech owl present occasionally 1/4 mile away in natural roost
Site 8
gray phased screech owl first seen 4/16/2010
last seen 4/29/2010
no nest
2010 Totals:
screech owl eggs …….13 + (11 Massachusetts)
screech owl fledged…..13+ (11 Massachusetts)3
Owl Oasis Trail 