Apologies for the break in Screech Owl coverage; I've just returned from vacation in Maine (puffins!). Since my last update, the family of Screech Owls continued to hunt right outside our house for another 2 nights. We were able to confirm 3 fledglings, which we watched being fed from a window (prey unknown). My mom was visiting from the south, and we kept looking out the laundry room window where I had promised the screech owls would come. We looked and looked but could not see them until, finally, one parent flew to a spot right over our heads and started feeding the 3 babies that had been sitting there the whole time (probably mocking us). It was really amazing to see the fledglings that close, and to hear their vocalizations for the first time.
Then we left for Maine for 6 days, and I don't know what transpired. Then the night of the 13th, we were happy to spot 2 fledgling owls moving through the area behind our home towards our bird-feeding area. They must have stuck around all that time, although I didn't see any parents visiting the youngsters on Wed. night. I hope we just missed them and that the fledglings aren't flying solo already. They're still quite downy and naïve-looking, what with their wild head-bobbing and raspy calling. They did make forays to the ground to perch on low logs, but I don't know that they were actually "hunting" in earnest. It should be noted that until recently, Screech-owl had been something of a nemesis bird for me. After numerous false-starts, organized owl walks (with playback), and you-just-missed-its, I just saw my life one earlier this year in Union Springs (Screechie). After missing this common owl for years (and finding 1 road-killed one in Ithaca), I believe I'm now getting spoiled. It has been such a joy to watch them, and I intend to keep watch until they decide to hunt elsewhere. For now, they remain "my" screech owls! Cheers, Robyn Bailey Lansing -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
