HELLO!

Screech Owls About to Fledge

 

Photo and video taken evening of May 8th, 2012

I wont start at the beginning as real-time events are unfolding rapidly. We've been blessed with a family of Screech Owls reproducing in a nest box in our central Florida backyard the past two years. This year we were prepared with a nest box camera for inside the box and a new camera to document the events outside.  The owls first claimed the nest box on March 10th of this year and  the 3 eggs were lain on March 13th, 16th, and 18th. and hatched on April 10th, 11th, and 12th respectively. Fledging typically takes about 30 days and they should leave the nest around May 10th through the 12th. The picture of the two largest was taken last evening and its clear the first born is ahead of the others and close to fledging on schedule - perhaps tonight or tomorrow.  Both parents have been feeding most of the food in the early evening to the largest who dominates the entrance and has about fallen out of the box several times.

A large amount of video has been captured for posterity.  In the coming months the photos and videos will be processed and observations of the Screech Owl as well as a telling of the history of our association with these amazing creatures will be posted to this blog and the companion video site MyBackyardBirding on YouTube. If you love little owls - stay tuned !