Nature Done Wright

   I have gotten several e-mails from people who follow this blog or who Googled "screech owl" and "squirrel" — people who want to know about squirrels and screech owl boxes.

   Here’s what I think.

   The verdict is mixed.

   I have not had a problem.

   Even though a female squirrel has used the nesting box over the summer, she and her babies (screech-cam picture below) have been long gone before the screech owls return.

   I don’t worry about squirrels much, especially now that I have the camera inside the owl box.

   Should I see a squirrel in the box now, I would evict it just to keep the box free and clear for the squrrel.

   In fact, on Tuesday morning, I saw a squirrel run up the tree and climb in the box, but by the time I got the camera monitor ready so I could take a picture, the squirrel had already bolted.

   If he hadn’t left, I would have rousted him by tapping on the box with a long pole (if that was a bad idea for reasons unbeknownst to me, somebody please let me know).

  I have read in a few places that nesting seasons don’t overlap, and one should not worry about squirrels, but I have also heard from a friend with owl boxes who said squirrels ruined a screech-owl nesting season a couple of years ago and the owls have not returned.

  If you have had squirrels nesting in the box, the advice is to clear out their nesting materials now and put in new wood chips for the owls. And roust any squirrels who try to move in for any reason.

  I liked having the squirrels in the box this past June and July. They were like a summer replacement series, and they were fairly unpredictable.

  Alas, they left before the little squirrels got big enough to be cute.

  The screech owl box has been empty ever since, and it has been too warm, I figure, for a male screech owl to move back in.  But I check every morning just to be sure.

  Now that November is here, one never knows…

TOMORROW: Owl-box basics