First screech owl of the season
While planting in the back garden yesterday, I looked up into the trees above the back fence, as I always do, to see if I could spot an owl. What a surprise to see this little screech staring right back at me.
He or she was probably wondering what all the commotion was about during bedtime hours.
Eventually he stopped giving me the stink-eye…
…and closed his eyes for a mid-afternoon nap. I hope he’s scouting nesting locations. Last weekend my husband climbed up a ladder in order to clean a squirrel’s nest out of our owl box. He put a fresh layer of dry leaves in the bottom, and it’s all ready for a nesting mama owl to move in.
By the way, here’s what I was planting: a ‘Scarlet’s Peak’ yaupon holly, which is essentially a ‘Will Fleming’ yaupon that produces berries. I’m excited to be trying this one out, although it was a splurge. If you’re hunting for one, I found it at Red Barn Garden Center in northwest Austin.
And just for fun, here’s a quick peek at the upper garden, from the vantage of the low spot by the back fence. The ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave (A. ovatifolia) at upper left sailed through another winter and is bigger and better than ever.
All material © 2006-2014 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Oh, lovely pics!
I wish we had owls, but we are in an apt, so mostly all we see are doves, sparrows, and the occasional cardinal.
Bird watching is fun no matter what kind you have, right? —Pam
it got such dreamy eyes….
Their eyes look surprisingly human to me. And with their fierce expression, these little owls pack quite a punch when they stare at you. —Pam
What a winsome face! I have no doubt your Casa Tecolote will be back in action before long.
I had a gang of blue jays hopping in and out of trees around the perimeter of our yard while doing a little weeding/pruning the other day and while I didn’t see an owl, am pretty sure that was who they were fussing about.
That trio of spiraled planters shown to the right of the last photo are quite handsome. I appreciate how well you use repetition in your spaces.
Yes, other birds will definitely fuss when they spot one of these owls. Thanks re: the pots. It’s actually two spiraling blue pots and one stock tank hiding in the back there. I do love using pots to elevate plants in my garden beds and add a little color. —Pam
I think they really like your garden Pam. Rather like the one at the WFC which keeps coming back to the same spot. I must send D up the tree today to see if squirrels are in our box.
I looked for the great horned owl at the Wildflower Center when I was there recently, but I guess it was too early for her to be nesting yet. I love seeing her there each year. —Pam
The blue jays were what alerted me to the male that was perched in the jasmine a while back. We saw one in our box on Christmas Eve but haven’t seen anything in a while…maybe it’s time to send DJ up the ladder too?!
You get such great photos of your owls each year, Cat. I look forward to seeing your new brood this year. —Pam
We have a Screech in our (well, his or her) house almost everyday now. I hear trilling on occasion in the wee hours, but have only seen the one in the house. We did have two Great Horned Owls hooting from two different trees in our back garden on Wednesday evening. I made them promise to leave the Screech(es) alone.
It sounds like you’ve got nesting going on, Tina — or about to. We hear great horned owls frequently too. —Pam
Awww….Your Screech Owl looks so cute. I keep saying I want to put up an Owl box in our backyard. We use to have Owls around our neighborhood many years ago, maybe I can lure them back;) Your garden looks great, btw.
Thanks, Steph. Do put up an owl box. We’ve gotten so much enjoyment out of ours, watching owls nest there each year. —Pam
Love your fence. Is it an eight footer? Who built it for you? Thank you.
Lisa, the main portion is 6 feet, with a framed lattice on top that adds another 14 or 15 inches. We hired an independent contractor to build it, someone who was doing this as a side business for a while. I don’t have his contact info anymore, I’m afraid. —Pam
Pam, did you do that rock retaining wall yourself? I’d like to do something similar.
-Cedar Hill, TX
No, that was here when we moved in. The previous owners had the pool installed and the rockwork done about 5 years before they decided to move. They did a nice job! —Pam
Aw, so cute! I haven’t heard any owls here at my new place yet, but then, I haven’t been out in the evening much here. Hopefully when the weather warms up! I hope you get to see some new owl babies this year!
Me too, Indie! It’s always such a treat to see a couple little owl faces looking out of the box. —Pam
So exciting that your owls are back! I hear some occasionally at night but have never spied one up close like that in my area.
They have remarkably effective camouflage, Kris. We hear screech owls nearly every night, but they are so hard to see in the daytime, even when we know a female is in the nesting box and a male is hanging out nearby in the trees. Luckily, they seem to like this ligustrum just behind our fence, so now I know to look up there. —Pam
I have the Scarlet’s Peak Yaupon Holly and so far so good. I wanted a columnar plant with berries for the birds. I’m in the Dallas area.
I don’t see much information about them online but I’m glad to see one here!
This tree is a fairly new introduction, Sharrie. I’m glad to hear it’s doing well for you too. The price kept me from getting one for a while, but finally the plant lust could not be denied. I think they’ll come down in price over the next few years as more growers are able to offer them. —Pam
My gosh, that whales tongue is HUGE. Beautiful plant. I like your concrete (?) finials too.
Thanks, Lisa. Yes, the finials are concrete, and that big one is heavy. I lugged it home from a nursery in Brenham, where it was being sold at a great discount, and I moved it from my former garden to this one. As for the ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave, it’s about 5 feet in diameter now. —Pam
I also love the concrete final and would like to know about the bamboo in the last pic!
Heidi, that’s Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonse Karr’, a pretty, vase-shaped, clumping bamboo that can get quite tall, as I’m discovering. It’s reached the roof now. —Pam
Wonderful. I love our little native owls so much!
Me too, Caroline! Any signs of a nesting mama in your owl box this year? —Pam
Pam, how long do the screech owls stay in the owl box? I read that they are not migratory so where do they go when they are not living in the box? I love your yard and have used it for inspiration in my own yard.
Margo, if a pair raises young in the box, they stay until May, generally. However, sometimes we’ll get a solitary owl in the box for a while in late winter.
Here’s the mating/nesting process, as I understand it. The male scouts several nesting sites in late winter (now) and tries to attract a female by calling to her. She checks them out and chooses the nesting site. This may be a tree hollow or owl box; they do not build nests or excavate their own holes, so nesting boxes are readily accepted. The male feeds the female while she sits on the eggs. Once the chicks hatch, she moves out to a nearby tree branch, and you can spot both parents delivering food to the owl box in the evening, though you’ll rarely see the chicks until they’re nearly ready to fledge. This occurs in mid- to late May, in our experience. —Pam
Thank you for all wonderful information, Pam! I put up an owl box yesterday and am hoping to have one this year.
Yay! I hope you get an owl family this year, Margo. But don’t be discouraged if it takes a year or two to attract one. Ours sat empty for a year, but it’s been occupied every year since. —Pam
Oh, I love owls! You’re so lucky to have them return to your garden. My parents once had a screech for a few days. The robins chased it off, I think.
Screech owls, I’ve learned, are quite happy in suburban neighborhoods so long as there are trees, for they hunt under the canopy of treetops. They also readily nest in owl boxes, so if you have a suitable tree you might try hanging an owl box to see if you can attract a pair. —Pam
so pretty!