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Nature Done Wright
Incorporating the Celery Farm and Screech Owl Companion blogs
October 17, 2007
Screech owl anniversary
Three years ago today, my wife and I had our first sighting of a screech owl sunning himself in the late afternoon in the nesting box just beyond our backyard in the Celery Farm.
The owl may have taken up residence sooner, but without the camera we installed last year, we had no way of knowing.
This year we are paying attention. I am checking the screech cam every morning, and getting the same view every day (see above).
My guess is that with the prolonged warm weather this September and early October, any owl return will more likely be later than sooner.
For the record: Last year, Ace the screech owl moved into the box the day after Thanksgiving and spent his days there 95 percent of the time.
Considering the success rate of last spring’s nest — four eggs, four successfully fledged owlets — my hope is that Ace will be back before year’s end, with Mrs. Ace to appear in mid-March.
4 comments
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Drew, let me know when you find out the answer to the squirrel problem. We have lowered our squirrel population by changing bird feeders. See our squirrel problem last year. This year my son has re-enforced the owl house with metal stripping on all edges.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66013135@N00/sets/72157603178484294/ -
Question from a first-year next box person. Put up a screech owl box in the small stand of woods out back. Never saw/heard any activity in it but we do have screech owls in the neighborhood. Saw squirrels going in and out in late spring/early summer. So, now it is last Oct in southern New England. Do I clean it out? If so, now? What is your recommendation on keeping squirrels out this winter…. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Hoping for screech owls…
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I have not had a squirrel go into my screech owl box during the fall or winter. They’ve typically nested in the early summer in my box.
There is a difference of opinion in whether to evict squirrels. Some say that the screech owl will evict the squirrel if he wants the box.
I have another screech-cam and extension cord that you are welcome to test-drive…
Congrats on the towhee. -
We wait along with you. We were disappointed to spot the squirrel playing in the box the other day. She must be getting ready for winter as she had dragged a decent size wire over to the box for what I assume would be winter nesting purposes.
On a high note, I saw my first Eastern Towhee in my Ramsey backyard today!
-D
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4 comments
Sparroweye/Candy Pfau
Drew, let me know when you find out the answer to the squirrel problem. We have lowered our squirrel population by changing bird feeders. See our squirrel problem last year. This year my son has re-enforced the owl house with metal stripping on all edges.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66013135@N00/sets/72157603178484294/
Drew
Question from a first-year next box person. Put up a screech owl box in the small stand of woods out back. Never saw/heard any activity in it but we do have screech owls in the neighborhood. Saw squirrels going in and out in late spring/early summer. So, now it is last Oct in southern New England. Do I clean it out? If so, now? What is your recommendation on keeping squirrels out this winter…. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Hoping for screech owls…
jim wright
I have not had a squirrel go into my screech owl box during the fall or winter. They’ve typically nested in the early summer in my box.
There is a difference of opinion in whether to evict squirrels. Some say that the screech owl will evict the squirrel if he wants the box.
I have another screech-cam and extension cord that you are welcome to test-drive…
Congrats on the towhee.
Diana & Jeff
We wait along with you. We were disappointed to spot the squirrel playing in the box the other day. She must be getting ready for winter as she had dragged a decent size wire over to the box for what I assume would be winter nesting purposes.
On a high note, I saw my first Eastern Towhee in my Ramsey backyard today!
-D