Squirrels Have Kittens!!

Mother Squirrel is Quite Upset

Mother Squirrel Taking a Break from nursing - she's full of milk

Did you know squirrel babies are called kittens? They are as cute. Our Florida squirrels have delivered their second litter of kittens this past two weeks and mother squirrel has obviously been nursing a large number of kits or "kittens" - sometimes up to 8. In Florida mature squirrels usually breed twice a year. They tend to finish up with the nest about the time the Screech Owls start to nest. Mother squirrel has a habit of making a lot of noise these days with the little kits or kittens in the nest in the trees. Doesn't take much to set them off and they tend to be more cautious and keep more to the woods than around the house - no doubt so that they can take care of the little ones.

Screech Owl Nest Box and Squirrels

Screech Owl and Squirrel  (link to original pictures)

Here is an interesting story out of Texas (link to original story).  First off, that's a very unusual looking Screech Owl Nest Box, seems a bit deep. This is why we can't keep our nest boxes on trees or within reach of squirrels in trees. They will relentlessly attempt to take over the nest box. When its time to lay eggs and guard the owlets this Screech Owl is going to have a tough time defending this nest from many potential intruders.  I wish the owls all the best!

Listen for Screech Owl Calls In the Evening

Screech Owls generally keep a pretty low profile and don't make much noise unless they are defending or announcing their territory and getting ready for mating season. Here is a playlist of some of the best calls from the 2012 season:   

Playlist of best Screech Owl Calls of 2012 Season . 

But for the next month or two calls are likely to be subtle - a low "trilling" that travels far. You'll know it when you hear it The owls are reconnecting, courting and looking for nesting sites - if they had a healthy, good year their first choice will likely be where they nested the year before. 

Screech Owl Calls are loudest when its really time to mate and nest such 

as this example from early March 2012.

Squirrel Nests in Screech Owl Nest Box

Squirrel nest completely filling up a Screech Owl Nest Box

The same Screech Owl Nest Box Ready for Breeding Season 2013

Squirrels have now delivered their litters and are nursing in nests in the oak trees around our area. This year we kept them out of the Screech Owl nest box which is now sitting ready for, hopefully, the same couple as last year to claim it in the next few months. Squirrels basically cram a large amount of small twigs and branches with leaves into the owl box and then keep their babies at the bottom - this makes it very difficult for any predators to snatch their little ones. The parents just dig down and out of the bottom of the nest box when they come and go. 

Obviously the squirrel nest precludes use by the Screech Owls - if one were inclined you could leave a nest box out for the squirrels to enjoy year-after-year - however it would be impossible to watch the little ones be delivered, grow and develop as the nest material blocks the camera view. Screech Owl season is nearing!

Screech Owl Nest Box Time is Here - Location

Cute Little rat resting in the Screech Owl Box

This video is from the 2012 season in early January - about one year ago. The cute and extra-fastidious little rat has no idea he's resting in the wrong lair. It would make a tasty morsel for an owl. Screech owls will be checking out nest boxes soon.  I moved the nest box after this and issues with squirrels and put it on the gable end of an outbuilding.  See this post for the setup:

Transformer Screech Owls - Taking Camouflage to a Higher Level

If you don't have a real great spot to put one and you live in a suburban or somewhat urban area with heavy tree cover nearby you might try putting the box on the gable end of your house about 8 to 10 feet or so off the ground near the middle of the gable end - the owls will likely accept it if they are around as long as there is immediate heavy cover nearby for them to stage to. One advantage of putting it on a building wall  is that it limits access by squirrels and rats etc.  See:

It's a Jungle Out There! Nest Box Experiences and Advice Part #2 

for background information.

The other consideration is sunshine - you don't want to put the box where it will get blasted by sunshine most of the day and overheat the owls. In our case, they get several hours of direct but low morning sun and then its OK  Screech Owls will look for any cavity to make a nest as natural sites can be scarce and dangerous. The number one concern is nearby heavy cover such as an oak tree or other dense foliage so they don't have to travel to far in the open from the nest to the first staging/perching area. They have adapted to living in neighborhoods in this way.

Happy Christmas Screech Owl Tale

Great story out of eastern Pennsylvania of an Eastern Screech Owl that came down a families chimney and sat rather calmly in their fireplace. They called a bird enthusiast friend and the story had a happy ending!

Link to original story.

Eastern Screech Owl Came Down the Chimney on Christmas Day

Inside a Flight of Swallows...

Inside a Flight of Swallows

Thursday (12/27) was a day I just wanted to avoid the crowds and take a drive, get some fresh air and see if we could find any birds. It was after lunch, not the best time, and our favorite remote ranch land area was looking like a bust so I just set about shooting some stock footage of a pair of Sandhill Cranes. Not every day can be an Eagle or Caracara day, but you just never know when luck will come your way. Lately, I've been lucky.

I was fortunate to be engulfed by a passing  "Flight of Swallows" as I was focusing my attention on one of the Cranes. Several Red-Shouldered Hawks became excited and then Swallows surrounded us. I didn't notice untill I looked at the footage later, but you can see the Crane take notice of some disturbance developing in the atmosphere - the Crane looks up and then around and then there is a sudden onset of a Flight of Swallows much like the approach and passage of a storm. The expression on the Crane is priceless at 1080p.  I panned to cover the swallows and by then the greatest concentration was right overhead. Hawks began swooping in to take a few swallows. Later one of the Hawks roosted right in front of us as the straggler Swallows fell in behind the main Flight. All in all it took about 10 minutes for the Flight to pass. What was most interesting was the reaction of the big birds from the Crane watching with curiosity to the top predator Hawks attacking the swallows much like sharks try and pick out fish from large schools in the ocean. Also got to spend some quality time with one of the Red Shouldered Hawks toward the end. The Flight was moving in mid-afternoon, most birds were swirling, but the Flight itself seemed to be making forward progress northward on the order of several miles an hour as we caught up with them further up the road about 30 minutes later. You just never know - carry your camera!

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Routine Sandhill Crane video leading up to the "Flight of Swallows"

Inside a Flight of Swallows

Florida Bald Eagles - Winter Birding Picking Up

Video of Crow and Bald Eagle in Florida

While we wait for Eastern Screech Owl nesting season to heat up in late winter...daytime birding overall has been picking up in Florida. Here is a video of a chance encounter with Eagles and Crested Caracaras - always exciting to see and the common crow who tries to steal the show.

Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count Starts December 14th

Male Painted Bunting observed on December 9th, 2012

Between December 14th and January 5th you can participate in the annual bird count. Information is on the Audubon web site. Even if you don't participate, winter is a good time for bird watching. Owls are starting to call more often as we get deeper into winter in Florida.  Here is a photo of a Painted Bunting I took Sunday to get the bird watching juices flowing. 

Owl Nest Box is Not a Dream Home for a Gecko

This gave me a chuckle this afternoon. Getting the nest boxes ready for owl season and trimming some branches etc this afternoon I noticed this Gecko who had claimed a nest box as his new home. Trust me - this is going to end badly! Nobody told him that little lizards are Screech Owls number one food in Florida. All the more reason for the owls to move in this winter - Dinner is Waiting!!

Little Lizard thinks he's going to make a home here - not!