Site 5, The owner did a quick check and confirmed that there was not only a nest, but at least 4 owlets that look like they are getting ready fledge in a week or 2. You can see Mom (gray morph) running out of room in the lower right. cornerFirst there was the really early rescued owlet, and now these where the eggs are estimated to have been laid 3rd week of Feb. Most of the other active sites on this trail are still on eggs. Updates to come on the other sites.
Relocated Site 1 about 2 years ago, Recently was looking to upgrade the box here as well, but before I swapped it out for a new version of squirrel resistant box, I did a quick check of the the older box so I would not be surprised on a ladder, good thing too as a den of 3 flying squirrels had moved in. I have seen flying squirrels on cam at night in boxes, but I have never had them set up shop in a box. So this was a first. I felt bad I had to dislodge them but they quickly scurried and found natural hollows to shelter in, one did pause long enough on a tree trunk to get a good pic as well. This also means no screech owls around or using the box, as flying squirrels are small enough for a Screech to prey upon flying squirrels.
Seemed a good year for screech owls nesting. 4 sites with 15 owlets fledging.
Total: Owlets 15
Total Owlets Since 2010: 149+
Barred Owls:
None this year.
Total: 2 Owlets,(2022)
Site 1
Massachusetts
No Nesting this year, Need to find new Site 1.
Site 2
Massachusetts
No screech owls…but local barred owls are heard regularly.
Site 3
Massachusetts
Screech Owls: M,F. Female red phased Male Gray, successful nesting.
Total: 4 owlets fledged around 5/29/2023 (Photo from 5/28/23)
Site 4
Screech Owls: Pair M,F Gray. Successful nesting.
Total: 5 eggs, 4 owlets successfully fledged 5/23-5/25/2023
After owls left, a pair of Flickers laid eggs in June, unfortunately they were unviable
Site 5
Relocated in 2022 to Massachusetts
Screech owls: Successful Nesting Female Gray, Male Gray
Total: 3 owlets fledged by 5/23/2023
Site 6
Massachusetts
Screech Owls: Female Red, male Gray Did not nest in box this year, box used in fall and winter
Total: 0
Site 7
Massachusetts :Relocated for 2017 season
2022: Screech owls active in winter, seemed to nest elsewhere, activity stopped early march, no nesting this year.
Site 8
Massachusetts
Screech Owls: Female Red
Presummed nesting in box not part of my trail.
Massachusetts
Screech Owls: M,F Gray
Total: 4 owlets, 4 eggs one egg unviable, but a recently hatched owlet was adopted into the nest so 4 owlets fledged by 5/31/2023. See https://owloasis.wordpress.com/2023/06/10/baby-owlet-rescue/ for full story.
Site 9
This is the second foster family success story for this site. The first one was with an older a few days away from fledging owlet 2 years ago. This time it was due to an untimely tree cut with a screech owl nest in it. (From a nesting bird perspective spring is a dangerous time to prune or cut trees and bushes). Anyway, as timing would have it Site 9 had 3 recently hatched owlets with an egg that did not hatch. It seemed like a perfect fit. The raptor rehabilitator was able to introduce the orphan recently hatched owlet into the foster family. The little one was integrated into the family 5/1/2023. Two owlets fledged 5/25/2023 and the other two fledged (one was the orphan) 5/27/2023. (important that this type of fostering activity is done only through a licensed raptor rehabilitator. )
The very young owlet at Cape Ann Wildlife. (photo used with permission)
Staging to introduce the owlet into the nest box. The owlet is safely in the carrier under the towel. (5/1/2023)
Quick video of the owlet joining its new foster family
All the owlets grew and fledged successfully, A day before the first 2 owlets fledged, one owlet is in the entrance, 3 are on the floor, with mom who is in the lower left corner of the picture
The last 2 owlets that fledged, we are thinking the cuddled up one is the orphan.
Site 9 (4 eggs), Site 4 (5 eggs), and Site 3.
Site 9, first egg was March 26th, and currently there are 4 eggs that should be hatching in about a week.
Site 4, first egg was March 22nd and currently there are 5 eggs that should be hatching any day now, also a nice night video of a raccoon investigating the nest, hopefully the squirrel resistance will be enough to thwart the other predators as well. Pay attention to the top right, see the owl fly to attack the raccoon, and turn volume up and listen to the defensive bill clacking.
Site 3, presumed nest, if so this is the male that spends most if not all day in entrance as not to crowd the female on eggs.
Seemed a average year for owls breeding. Although my record keeping was below average. But had the exciting orphan owlet being fledged with the family at Site 9 !
Total: Owlets 9+
Total Owlets Since 2010: 122+
Site 1
Massachusetts
No Nesting this year, Need to find new Site 1.
Site 2
Massachusetts
No screech owls…but local barred owls are heard regularly.
Site 3
Massachusetts
Screech Owls: M,F both red phased, successful nesting
Total: 3+ owlets fledged around 5/25/2021
Site 4
Relocated for 2019 season:
Screech Owls: Female Gray. Successful nesting
Total: 2 owlets fledged by May 14th, 2021.
Site 5
Maryland no owls, box fell down.
Site 6
Massachusetts
Screech Owls: Female Red, Successful nesting
Total: Presumed nest, but did not get owlet sighting
Site 7
Massachusetts :Relocated for 2017 season
2020: Screech owls active in winter, seemed to nest elsewhere, activity stopped early march, no nesting this year.
Site 8
Massachusetts
Screech Owls: Female Gray.
Presumed nesting no owlet records.
Site 9
Screech owls: Female Gray, Successful nesting
Total: 3 owlets + 1 foster owlets fledged by 6/22/2020
Site 9
This has to be the best report/post I have been able to do on this trail I hope I do it justice! As a site wrap up, this was an interesting year from the start. It seems the pair that was at this site all fall and winter chose somewhere else to nest by April. Only about a week later, a different owl pair back filled the un-occupied/defended box. This delayed nesting with the new pair proved to be quite beneficial for an orphaned owlet…If this box nesting was on usual timing, the owlets here would have fledged before the orphaned owlet could have joined their family…
When a Raptor Rehabilitator rehabilitates an injured/orphaned owlet, once the owlet is treated back to health, if possible they try to integrate to a foster owl family if the original family’s whereabouts is unknown. There are several critical criteria that have to be met in order for this to be successful. The owlets must be about the same size, and the foster family must not have a large family of its own (do not want to over burden parents suppling food with one more mouth to feed). Anyway, I wanted to share some of the prep work behind the scenes and the success story of a Family with 3 owlets that became a Family with 4 owlets!
June 12th, Site 9 owner:
“Hi,
An animal rehabber that watches this Owl Box (camera) has an owlet around the same ages as our owlets that are going to fledge next week and she wants to put it in the box, it’s an orphan and she’s bringing it back to health. Is there any risk of harm to our owlet’s by doing this? I asked her and she said oh no screech owls are wonderful foster parents but we don’t want anything to happen to our Owlets. Please let us know your thoughts on this thank you.”
My Response: (June 12th)
“I dont have any personal experience with it. But do know it is common practice to place orphan owlets in with foster owl families when possible. We know a retired raptor rehabilitated we could double check with. As well as follow a Shrewsbury rehabber to get some second opinions. Otherwise from what I have heard it should be fine.“
Anyway I contacted https://www.raptortalesrescue.com/ and they confirmed this works provided owlets are close to the same size…in addition Cape Ann Wildlife who were diligently nursing the owlet back to health https://business.facebook.com/CapeAnnWildlifeInc/ double checked with owl expert Norm Smith https://www.projectsnowstorm.org/posts/norman-smith-champion-of-the-owls/ who also confirmed this is a preferred practice. We were all re-affirmed this would work!
June 13th 2021 Site 9 Owner announced:
“We have a new development! A local raptor rehabber asked if they could place this little rescue male screech owl in the box with our babies! I guess Screech owls readily accept orphans and we are going to attempt to place the little guy in the box at dusk! Hoping they are close in size! Fingers crossed!
Keep and eye out at dusk!“
“Mom will be surprised when she finds 4 owlets instead of 3 ! Mom
Was scared by the ladder but the rehabber left mice for her ! She will be back when it is dark outside!“
June 20th:
“The owlets are still here this morning! The stayed up in the slot for a long time last night! Mom tried to fly in but the slot was full and sort of bounced off the box and then onto the wood pile holding poles . We were able to get a good look at her ( she was looking at us too). She is so tiny!“
June 22nd:
“Everyone fledged last night …… We will miss them and hope they will be safe. We believe that the last one to fledge was little orphan Owlie! So glad we were able to help him out!“
On June 25th:
“We were able to see mom, dad and all 4 babies! They are all ok and in the trees surrounding the box. Three of the owlets were with dad and one with mom! The babies all look fine and healthy! Mom looks tired! ”
Cape Ann Wildlife inc. Provided an update from their perspective as well on their facebook page.
“Remember the itsy bitsy screech owlet that was near death a few weeks ago?? Well, he has fully recovered and since the original nest cavity could not be located, he was placed with surrogate screech owl family. The owlets are all very close to fledgling/branching stage and soon they will be out flying and learning how to hunt with the parents! “-Erin H.
***Please note if you find an baby raptor on the ground please contact us!! They will need to be assessed and medically cleared before either being put back in original nest, or considered a candidate for a surrogate family. Each case is unique and should be handled and conducted by a wildlife rehabilitator 
Thank you!!!!“
I will end with… Now is a good time to look up your local rehabilitor if you have a screech owl box (or any type of owl nest structure ) in your yard. If an owlet does fall out of a nest even if it is your own box, call a licensed raptor rehabilatator to get an assesment. if the owlet is healthy they will put it back with its family, but it may need treatment before returning to the nest.
Photos used with permission all copyrights apply
Site 4.
I don’t know what he did, but its not good. Maybe a dozen voles would help?
from the owner:
“This is a funny video. We saw the male leaving the box last night while it was still quite light, and we were wondering why he left so early…..now we know! You can see the leg of the female extending out of the box as the male is flying out. Apparently she was getting hungry and didn’t want to wait another 10 minutes until his usual departure time. Pushy little thing!“
Site 9
From the owner 3/4/2021
“Hi!
Mating has occurred and hopefully they owls will pick the box again this year! They are still coming and going!“
“Hi
We have the brownish morph female again and the little gray male! They have been taking turns in the nest box and now the female is depending every day in the box! Last night her mate showed up and they are following a similar pattern to last year! Fingers crossed they stay!“
Thank you for the updates!-Scott
Site 3.
This site has a red-phased male and female, interestingly their offspring seems to be 2 red and 2 gray, for a total of 4 owlets. And this is the first time using a 10 foot, bluetooth, selfie stick with cellphone to get a quick and reasonably un-obtrusive in the box shot for a more accurate count of owlets. Both parents were roosting outside the box in a nearby norway maple tree.
the male was roosting near the trunk. It was being scolded by a robin who also had a nearby fledgling
The female was roosting closer to the box in the foliage
If you look at the next 2 images, you can see the facial disks of upper 2 owlets have a bit of red/pinkish/orange hue, while the lower 2 owlets seem to be just gray.
Owl Oasis Trail 