2021 Nesting Summary:

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

Most Likely Male Owl

Presumed Last Owlet fledged.

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

New Box….New Owl

Site 1

It has been 2 years since a screech owl was seen on this site, and that was pretty much just a drive by(once in a motion capture cam at night in the box, and once roosting in tree near by.) the last sustained activity was April 2015. So it was nice to see an occupant here, I first saw an owl in this box early in the month, but alas I left the camera in my wife car. Also last spring I replaced the box and moved it to a different tree. The tree the old box was on was branching in a way that thwarted the squirrel resistance of the box. I needed a cleaner straighter trunk. I made a ‘wood duck’ type entrance, 4.5″ wide x 3″ high oval entrance, just to play around. I also was able to use up some scrap pieces of vinyl flashing to finish the squirrel resistance off.

2020 Summary

Overall a good year for owls breeding. The mild winter seemed to have fledgling 1-2 weeks ahead of normal which is usually (end of May into early June)

Total: Owlets 15+

Site 1
Massachusetts
No Nesting this year

Site 2
Massachusetts
No screech owls…but local barred owls are heard regularly. BUT did have a first successful Bluebird nesting. The pair attempted 3 nesting, the first 2 got raided by a house wren. The 3rd nesting they were able to fledge 1 bluebird.

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Site 3
Massachusetts
Screech Owls: M,F both red phased, successful nesting

Total: 4 owlets fledged around 5/22/2020

Site 4

Relocated for 2019 season:
Screech Owls: Female Gray. Successful nesting
Total: 3 owlets fledged by May 19th.

Site 5
Maryland no owls, box fell down.

Site 6
Massachusetts
Screech Owls: Female Red, Successful nesting

Total: 2+ Owlets Fledged

photo from 2/21/2020

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. Successful nesting
Total: 2+ owlets, timing not recorded.

Site 9
Screech owls: Female Gray, Successful nesting

Total: 4 owlets fledged by 5/20/2020

Fun Find

Site 1

The recent saw-whet owl was near by, but seemed to have only stayed in that roost for 1 day. I thought I had re-found it when I heard a cacophony of scolding nuthatches, chickadees,titmice,cardinals, and a single white-throated sparrow. Their ire was directed at small-mid sized well-foliated norway maple. Scanning the tree for the suspect owl, I finally got a glimpse of the culprit, but it wasn’t the saw-whet. It was a red phased screech owl. Most likely the same red phased owl that the box camera caught back on September 24th. The owl had not been back to the box since that day, but it would seem its still in the area, as the maple tree roost is about 700-800 feet away from the box.

red phased screech owl, through the only foliage window.

First 2 Occupants of the Season

Site 1 and Site 3,

Just a bit early but had 2 boxes with screech owls spend the day on Sunday Sept 23rd, 2018.  This is the first Screech owl activity at Site 1 since April 2015. Hopefully the owl will stick around and set up a territory, and not just traveling through the area.  Based on the screen capture of the in box camera, it does look like a red phase.

Site 3. Had an owl take up residence in July last year, this could be one of the pair last year, as they were a red phased pair (pretty sure).

 

Wrapping up Site 3

Site 3.

All fledged here.  Total 4 owlets.
from 5/24…there were 2 owlets in the opening before I got the camera!

5/26/2018 one sleeping owlet fledged, at least 2 were still in the box!
Found 4 owlets in a tree from 6/1/18. blurry low light photo of 3, the forth was just far enough away not to be the frame.

Site 8 Nesting

Site 8

Got confirmation of a nest here, with at least one owlet!

At Least 2 Owlets

Site 3.

Unfortunately the camera cable broke during one of the winter storms, so we have to rely on external sightings.  But at least we have a minimum of 2 owlets here.  Shot yesterday at late dusk…

Back to the Good.

Site 3.

Looks like there are nesting owls here.  It has been tough to confirm this as the box had been very quiet through out March and April, and observations were sporadic. However,  it seems the young owlets are growing and the weather warming, which affords the mom some breaks to rest in the entrance.  I am pretty sure I heard the owlets, when the mom tucks back down to them as well.  She seems to be skittish/protective now that she is a mom, so she tucks back in quickly if observed too much.

Owling Challenge: a ‘Pitcher’s Duel’

Last years owling challenge result, I won 2-0.
This year was off to a tense start with neither my wife nor myself able to pick up points, there were owls around, a good year for snowy owls too, but upon replay none qualified for points until yesterday. 1 point for a road side hunting barred owl for me. Found on my drive into work first thing in the morning. According to section 5: We have to be together for an owl to count as a point with the one exception being road side owls. Such as a new screech owl in hollow or a hunting owl. So this clearly qualifies. Anyway score is 1 to 0 in the bottom of the 7th.

No points for these owls as we were not together, seen earlier in the year
Barred owl:

Long-eared owl:

One challenge point for me for this road side barred owl: