GardenBanter.co.uk - Owl watching

GardenBanter.co.uk (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/)

- North Carolina (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/north-carolina/)

- - Owl watching (https://www.gardenbanter.co.uk/north-carolina/31609-owl-watching.html)

For several years now we have been fortunate to have a family of owls
that visit quite regularly. I am not sure why they like our yard, but
probably because I made a 23 gallon concrete bird bath in the ground and
it is just their size. They are Barred Owls and are pretty big. They
seem to travel around Scottish Hills Subdivision in Cary quite a bit
andprobably frequent the Apex Reservior Park nearby.

This year we have been visited by up to 4 at a time. I think it is an
adult (maybe two) and juveniles. You can tell the difference since the
young ones are still a bit fuzzy and fidgit and move much more than the
adult. The are pretty close to the adult size. They don't visit every
day but quite often.

One has taken up the hobby of people watching. On two mornings where I
was reading the newspaper in the sun room I looked up and it was sitting
on the fence watching me!! I think it visits for water and the fence is
a nice hop and flap away.

Last year a solitary one took a liking to one pine limb and roosted
there quite often. We collected quite a few pellets and my daughter the
biology major took some to dissect. Mice, birds, and Crayfish seems to
be the diet. They don't seem to fear me and I have come within 10 feet
of them and they happily roost and watch on a regular basis from 20-30
feet away and higher up in the trees. One seems to drop by when we are
working in the yard and have the radio tuned to NPR. Wish I had a
better telephoto lens as they never come close when I have a camera
handy.

Yesterday my wife went to the backyard and one was perched on the handle
of the wheelbarrow and another was near by on the top of a 2 inch pipe
about 8 feet off the ground. She stood watching them for 5 minutes
before they flew off.

Anyhoo just thought I would share one of the pleasures of gardening with
you.
--
Wes Dukes (wdukesNOatSPAMpoboxdotcom)

we have the same type owl here in lake anne he/she moves among the different
valleys at night.

It is real peaceful to hear them calling at night to each other.

I built and owl box in the next valley over but they did not move in, I
guess they found a better tree.

Ours seems to migrate leaving in the winter and coming back in the spring
and fall.

One of the other treats has been to watch our great blue heron growing up! -
As a preteen he was just kind of all blue now as a teen the is getting some
vivid color to him!

tomatolord

Other wild life I have seen here
fox
pileated woodpecker
turkey vulture
kingfishers
coopers hawk (new this year)

"C.L. Lassiter" wrote in message
...
wrote:
For several years now we have been fortunate to have a family of owls
that visit quite regularly. I am not sure why they like our yard, but
probably because I made a 23 gallon concrete bird bath in the ground and
it is just their size. They are Barred Owls and are pretty big. They
seem to travel around Scottish Hills Subdivision in Cary quite a bit
andprobably frequent the Apex Reservior Park nearby.

Cool, thanks for sharing Wes. I love owls.

cl, remembering the log lady's (Twin Peaks) comment: "The owls are not
what they seem."

What is really amazing is to listen to several of them have a "conference"
call. We live in the Swift Creek area and sometimes I've heard five dfferent
barred owls, each taking turns with their rendition of "Who cooks for you?"

One thing about having owls..vole and mole populations are kept in check.

... I've heard five different barred owls, each taking turns
with their rendition of "Who cooks for you?"

You may join that "conversation." If you mimic their call, owls will
respond. I've done this on several occasions.

More information at ...
http://www.owlpages.com/species/strix/varia/

Daniel B. Martin

Daniel B. Martin wrote:
... I've heard five different barred owls, each taking turns
with their rendition of "Who cooks for you?"

You may join that "conversation." If you mimic their call, owls will
respond. I've done this on several occasions.

Been there, hooed that.

cl, who hasn't heard an owl since moving to town

Marcy Hege wrote:
What is really amazing is to listen to several of them have a
"conference" call. We live in the Swift Creek area and sometimes I've
heard five dfferent barred owls, each taking turns with their
rendition of "Who cooks for you?"

We live near Bond lake and there's quite a population here as well. We hear
the "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you alllll" quite a bit, but sometimes
different groups will get into what sounds like territorial competitions.
Then it's more like who let the monkeys loose! Ooo ooo ooo aaa Aaa AAA!
They're so loud we can hear them in the house with all the windows closed!

You're right about the territorial competitions, and if it happens about 5 am,
why should they care if they wake us us?

This afternoon about dusk it seemed as though someone was reshooting "The
Birds" in my backyard. Finally saw about four or five smaller birds apparently
chasing one of the owls away from one grouping of trees. Then the whole crew
seemed to settle in for the evening. Never saw that before.

Ooo ooo ooo aaa Aaa AAA!

Perhaps this is the Courtship Duet which may be heard at ...
http://www.owlpages.com/species/strix/varia/

Daniel B. Martin

Daniel B. Martin wrote:
Ooo ooo ooo aaa Aaa AAA!

Perhaps this is the Courtship Duet which may be heard at ...
http://www.owlpages.com/species/strix/varia/

That's it!

In article , Marcy Hege wrote:
You're right about the territorial competitions, and if it happens about 5 am,
why should they care if they wake us us?

This afternoon about dusk it seemed as though someone was reshooting "The
Birds" in my backyard. Finally saw about four or five smaller birds apparently
chasing one of the owls away from one grouping of trees. Then the whole crew
seemed to settle in for the evening. Never saw that before.

Crows generally harass owls, but sometimes Jays and Mockingbirds do also
I have seen a mockingbird divebombing a crow also.

I did see one crow lurking around when there were 3 owls in the yard but
he was reeeaaaalll quiet. They get braver in a group.

Birds often sound the alarm on copperheads also so when I hear a ruckus
in my yard I check to see if they are in the trees or near the ground.

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

spam@www.spam.com is a garbage address.

In article , Daniel B. Martin wrote:
Ooo ooo ooo aaa Aaa AAA!

Perhaps this is the Courtship Duet which may be heard at ...
http://www.owlpages.com/species/strix/varia/

Thanks. Added it to my book marks.

Daniel B. Martin

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

spam@www.spam.com is a garbage address.

Hadn't thought about the birds sending up alarm signals for copperheads but
will keep that warning signal in mind. Thanks.