I’m just bouncing around in happiness since I discovered this morning that Mama Screech Owl is back, and it looks like she’ll soon have babies fledging — she can barely fit in her house! It seems Austin is having a great Eastern Screech Owl year — almost everyone I know has at least one occupied house! Which is why I was feeling so very jealous and also so very worried that something had happened to our mama lady. But there she be!
She switched houses, too — opting for the house in the back of the yard instead of the side. I think it was a fine choice for her to select the other apartment — a woman always has the right to change her mind and also to rearrange furniture! Or in this case, just plain move. Though she’s on a tree that sways in the wind a lot more, she sure gets a good view of everything going on in the yard.
Once again, her appearance has mysteriously coincided with fewer toad calls at night. I get the feeling that she LOVES our wildlife garden for all the food it provides her and her babies. One of these days, maybe I’ll get to see Papa Owl!
As if that weren’t enough, I also found our first Pipevine Swallowtail caterpillars, hatched from eggs that a surprise female butterfly deposited a few weeks ago, and an Orange Sulphur caterpillar on our Lindheimer’s Senna, too! Oh happy day!
That is exciting news. Austin does seem to be having an increase in Screech owls this year. Very neat about your caterpillars.
What happy finds! That definitely makes for a great day. I love seeing all the wildlife that is attracted to my garden.
Oh happy day indeed. Alas, our owl must only be roosting int he box. He has not been back for 3 days. Maybe next year. I hope we get to see your babies.
How fun is that?! I love the fact that you’re giddy with joy about it, too! 🙂 Very sweet, and thanks for sharing the story.
Oh, how beautiful! So happy for you and Mom Owl. I have spied a kestrel swooping through my garden on several occasions – I think I’ll try a nest box as I’ve also spied mice and voles/moles. Can’t wait for the warmer weather and caterpillars and butterflies. We had a very large number of Red Admirals descend upon Northern NY. The whole village was aflutter – so great.
Oh fantastic, even though she moved she has stayed with you. I hope you get chance to photo the babies. Will you provide any extra help along the way with food etc?
My friend has two owlets in her owl house. The other day she got to witness the mama come back with a live rat, which was torn apart into pieces and fed to the owl still in the nest (one has left the nest). So incredibly cool! She also rigged a camera in the next and has been watching/recording the video.
Oh, we long for an owlcam — so neat that your friend gets to watch them in such detail!
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