Showing posts with label screech owls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label screech owls. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Blue Jays Harass Screech Owls in Nest Box


Blue Jays harass the female Eastern Screech Owl nesting in the nest box every morning - this attempted intimidation may make the Blue Jays - the Backyard micro managers - feel better, but I'm not sure what purpose it serves as the owls rule the night and the male owl is quietly watching all this activity from his hidden perch in the deep cover of Palmetto trees nearby. Screech Owls readily hunt and eat songbirds sleeping in trees at night. Birds that are late to turn in like Cardinals and Dove can sometimes be taken by the male owl right at dusk. If the Blue Jays were to discover the male owls daytime roost in the heavy brush they would attack him mercilessly and he would retreat. It is unlikely such pressure would stop the owls from using the nest box, but if one were to put a perch on the front of the nest box it could very well lead to failure of nesting as such a perch could be used to more seriously harass and fight with the female owl and get at the eggs.  Such are the ways of Nature.

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Blue Jays Harass Screech Owls in Nest Box


Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Screech Owls - Silent Hunters of the Night Mini Documentary


Short documentary on a pair of Eastern Screech Owls hunting prey on silent wings to feed their three rapidly growing owlets in a nest box in Florida. The entrance to the nest box is like a busy air terminal

Screech Owls - Silent Hunters of the Night Mini Documentary

Friday, May 17, 2013

Transformer Owl Takes Down Curious and Annoying Squirrel!



Transformer Owl and the Squirrel



Transformer Owl 2013 was patiently guarding over her nest box with three owlets when a pesky and curious squirrel decides to check her out. She puffs herself up and extends her wings to look big and scary as the squirrel is already right on top of her. She holds her patience for awhile and then sends the squirrel on his way - scared but unharmed. This is the same mother Transformer Screech Owl that has displayed her prodigious talent in the past by shrinking to look like a tree branch from a Red-Shouldered Hawk on the exact same tree in 2012. This amazing wild creature is the real wild transformer owl! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NPXU5AZSAc



The Genuine Wild Transformer Owl Makes Herself Look Thin - May 2012.





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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Great Picture of an Eastern Screech Owl Entered into National Geographic Photo Contest

Great Picture of an Eastern Screech Owl Entered into National Geographic Photo Contest Had to Tweet this - classic example of Eastern Screech Owl camouflage.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Last Eastern Screech Owlet Makes the Big Jump out of the Nest Box



Eastern Screech Owlet in Nest Box - Last one Out
Eastern Screech Owlet in Nest Box - Last one Out



The youngest owlet was 5 days behind the eldest and 3 days behind the second and was clearly not expecting to jump but was relaxing in the bottom of the nest box waiting for Mom to put food in her mouth. She had not yet been perching for food - losing out to the two eldest. When she realizes her brother has left her expression is priceless. Mother continues to call in a nearby tree and withhold food. The little one has guts - it only took 10 minutes from realizing she was alone to making a jump even though she couldn't fly. She managed to fly to the tree with Mom and climb up high where she is doing fine. A classic end to the 2013 season!

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Friday, May 10, 2013

Last Eastern Screech Owlet Makes it Safely Out of the Nest Box

Video of Owlet Hiding in Deep Cover - A good thing!

Female Eastern Screech Owl Red Morph

Mother Screech Owl Guarding the Owlets in the Trees


After the 2nd eldest left last night the youngest quickly decided to make the plunge even though it had never perched at the entrance before. It fell to the ground but managed to fly into a Palmetto tree and then tried to fly back to the nest box. Mother Owl came to the rescue and calmed it down and it followed her back to the tree. This morning the little owlet was making noise and exposed but It hid and I managed to catch of glimpse of it this morning. We will only hear them now - they have moved into very dense brush.

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Thursday, May 9, 2013

Live Screech Owls Tonight!

Will the last two leave the nest tonight?

Eastern Screech Owl Chased Off Of Hunting Perch by Mockingbird





Eastern Screech Owl Attacked by Mockingbird




The female Screech Owl was taking up her usual position to start hunting for the owlets at dusk, but a Mockingbird with a nest in a nearby tree took exception. Mockingbirds are fast and fearless, and while they make some of  the most beautiful calls in the bird world, when they are on the attack they have an extremely aggravating call.

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Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Last Two Eastern Screech Owlets Will be Leaving the Nest Box Tonight - Live Feed



Tonight will likely be the last live feed as the two remaining owlets will likely leave the nest box. 

Starting early today! This will likely be the last night - the eldest left overnight and two very over-active owlets are in the nest box. The parents want them out of the nest box. They are guarding and feeding the eldest in a nearby tree. This is the time to say goodbye. They are very over active today and will likely leave between 8 and 9 PM. The parents will likely call them from nearby trees or perch and then withhold food to coax them out if they are not ready already! Will broadcast from outside till its too dark.


Monday, May 6, 2013

Owl Watching - Nature Meditation


16 minute HD Video - Owl Watching at its best.


Male Eastern Screech Owl Guarding the Nest Box
Male Eastern Screech Owl Guarding the Nest Box

The male Screech Owl has a favorite position to guard the nest box with the mother and 3 owlets inside. Now that the owlets are getting bigger the female has been leaving the nest during the day to cool down and rest. The male will do most of the hunting during the night. Here we see just 16 minutes of his day long vigil - these small owls only expose themselves to such danger when they are nesting. The other 10 months of the year you would never see this guy. To keep up on the owl family developments and get more HD videos every week. consider subscribing at: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=MyBackyardBirding



Saturday, May 4, 2013

Screech Owl Family Update

Male Eastern Screech Owl
Male Eastern Screech Owl

Female Eastern Screech Owl
Female Eastern Screech Owl

Eastern Screech Owlets in Nest Box
Eastern Screech Owlets in Nest Box

Squirrel Who think its an owl
Squirrel Who think its an owl
The 2013 Screech Owl season is progressing perfectly according to plan. The male spends his days hidden and resting and will do most of the hunting for food tonight. The female is now spending the day out of the nest because it is getting too crowded and hot with the three fast growing owlets. She is where she can see the nest box and come to the rescue of the owlets if need be. Two of the owlets are now perching and looking out on their new world. Fledging should begin early next week. Amazing and precious little creatures! There is also a weird young squirrel who has taken perhaps an unhealthy interest in the owl parents after discovering their roosts. It is impossible for the squirrels to get at the nest box otherwise they would ruin the nesting season The squirrel is fascinated by the roosting owls - more on that later.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Eastern Screech Owlet Perches and Looks out of the Nest Box

First appearance of the eldest owlet in the nest box perch!

Eastern Screech Owl - Owlet in Nest Box
Eldest Eastern Screech Owlet

Probably due to an abundance of high protein food such as lizards and bugs after a mild winter the owlets have grown incredibly fast in the past few days. Yesterday (April 30th) the eldest owlet made a first appearance at dusk in the nest box entrance. Our first view of those amazing eyes. In the video you will see the mother owl take off from the nest and the two eldest try to look out on the world beyond the box for the first time. The second eldest is not quite big enough to look out but you can see its head next to the eldest. It will be a rainy night tonight we'll see how the owls handle that. 

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Florida Screech Owl CAM April 30th - Live From the Owl Nest Box!

Live tonight -- watch them grow before your eyes. Seem to be a few days ahead of fledging schedule - may be due to an abundance of high protein little lizards!!

Florida Screech Owl CAM April 29th - Live From the Owl Nest Box!





The eldest Screech Owlet has grown amazingly fast in two days and is now perching beside its mother. The second eldest will likely be perching by tonight - April 30th. The youngest is kind of a goofball spending its time flapping its wings and kicked up wood chips all over its sibling. The broadcast is live every night and then an archive of the activity is posted automatically to YouTube a few hours later. Our goal is to have an extensive documentation of the owlets development. Enjoy!