Last weekend we finally spotted what we’d been hoping to see: owl chicks in the owl box. There are two, and while downier and smaller than their parents, they are close to fledging, I think.
They keep their parents busy. In the afternoons they hang their heads out of the box, looking for their next food delivery. I suspect the parents are no longer roosting in the box with them (how could they all fit?) but in the trees nearby.
Yesterday morning at dawn I watched through the kitchen window as the mother (father?) owl perched on a nearby branch, in sight of the chicks, and called to them. I think she was trying to lure them out by withholding food just out of reach. They both stretched their necks far out of the hole and trilled back to her, but they wouldn’t come out. Finally she darted over and gave them their snack, then flew up to a higher branch.
In the image above, the top owlet knows she’s up there somewhere and is looking for her. Whenever I look out the window and see the chicks, I know to follow their gaze to try to find one of the parents.
Even so, they are very hard to spot among the live oak branches. They are perfectly camouflaged, all except for the big, yellow eyes.
You’ve done good, Mama and Papa Owl. They’re almost ready to leave the nest. I’m on the lookout each morning and evening for downy chicks sitting on a tree branch.
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Pam
How wonderful! I love the photo of the two little heads peeking out of the box waiting for the food to be delivered. Adding to a garden specifically to welcome birds, whether it with bird boxes or plants, certainly adds another fascinating dimension to the joys of gardening.
It really does, Debbie. We love our owls! —Pam
Comment by Debbie — June 2, 2010 @ 7:00 am
This is so wonderful…love it!
Comment by Darla — June 2, 2010 @ 7:30 am
Those chicks are adorable. I officially have Owl Envy at the moment. Wonder how an owl box would come across as a Father’s Day gift…….
It would be a hit for any bird watcher. But maybe it would have made a better Mother’s Day gift… —Pam
Comment by TexasDeb — June 2, 2010 @ 7:38 am
That’s a good way to put it, “owl envy.” Owls are so exciting to see anytime, but babies?! That is just wonderful. Thanks for sharing them with us.
Comment by Daricia — June 2, 2010 @ 7:48 am
How fun! I guess not problems with the owls being territorial and swooping on folks?
Nope. They seem interested in us but not threatened unless we make a loud noise, and then they retreat deep inside the box. —Pam
Comment by Rachael — June 2, 2010 @ 8:19 am
I love your owl stories, Rick is going to build a box!!!
Fantastic! I hope you don’t have to wait long to get an owl family, but if so have patience. We waited a year, but it was worth the wait. —Pam
Comment by Katherine Culleton — June 2, 2010 @ 8:26 am
Very neat to see the baby owls! I wouldn’t mind seeing a few of them around here to eat our voles.
Comment by Dave — June 2, 2010 @ 8:27 am
Pam, these photos are amazing! Thanks for sharing this experience with us…
Comment by jocelyn/the art garden — June 2, 2010 @ 8:29 am
OMG, Pam! Don’t you feel like a proud parent?!? Keep the pics coming!
Oh, I do, Cindy. I feel very protective of them. —Pam
Comment by Cindy — June 2, 2010 @ 8:40 am
Awwww, they are so cute!
Comment by Floridagirl — June 2, 2010 @ 9:32 am
Nice documentation. They are very cute. Do they bring the post?
No. They ARE the news, on my blog at least. —Pam
Comment by mss @ Zanthan Gardens — June 2, 2010 @ 10:41 am
How cool! You get such good photos. Those babies look like they are ready to venture out. Won’t be long.
Comment by Linda/patchwork — June 2, 2010 @ 10:50 am
That settles it. I have to find a spot for an owl box in my backyard.
Comment by Birdwoman — June 2, 2010 @ 10:52 am
Yay! Oh my gosh, they are so cute. And haha, I love MSS’s comment.
Comment by Meredith — June 2, 2010 @ 10:56 am
What a fabulous start to my day. They’re soooooo adorable! Wishing them an uneventful fledging!
Comment by Curbstone Valley Farm — June 2, 2010 @ 11:00 am
AWWWWW!!! They’re adorable. Congratulations! :)
Comment by Blackswampgirl Kim — June 2, 2010 @ 11:39 am
Wonderful. They went about their business without you even knowing. Such secretive birds. We can only hope for a similar surprise in our owl house next year.
Yes, they kept their little secret for quite a while. Even with us watching them every day. —Pam
Comment by Jenny — June 2, 2010 @ 11:46 am
This is my favorite Digging post of the year! How much fun to see your owls, thank you for putting this up. We had a screech owl family claim our yard in Florida. They all roosted together in our palms or oaks during the day, made us look up and smile every time we went out the front door.
Your favorite Digging post? How wonderful to know, Kathleen. I’m glad you’re enjoying the owl pics. I’m glad to be able to share them with you. —Pam
Comment by Kathleen Scott — June 2, 2010 @ 12:00 pm
Adorable! You are so lucky to get to see them and they are lucky that you provide a habitat for them. I’m sure you have no mice or voles in your garden!
That would be nice, Cameron. The owls hunt in the greenbelt behind our house, so I don’t know. Maybe the mice are hiding in our garden instead. —Pam
Comment by Cameron (Defining Your Home) — June 2, 2010 @ 12:13 pm
That’s so exciting! I’ve really tried to get owls, but so far, no luck…
We had to wait a year for owls to move into our owl box, TM, so don’t give up. —Pam
Comment by Town Mouse — June 2, 2010 @ 12:21 pm
Those owls are spooky! They look like an omen.
They do have a severe look, but I consider them a good omen. I like owls! —Pam
Comment by Grumpy Gardener — June 2, 2010 @ 1:03 pm
They are absolutely delightful! I am so glad they moved in so we could see them. Thank you, Pam. gail
Comment by Gail — June 2, 2010 @ 1:28 pm
Oh, they are so cute!! You’ve gotten some fantastic photos. Especially of the adult – how did you do that? They look bigger than I remember screech owls looking. How exciting for you.
I took these shots yesterday morning, and it was so dim my images were all coming out blurry. So I crept out to the deck rail, which has an excellent view of the box, braced my camera on the rail, and just kept shooting, hoping for a few steady images. These aren’t crisp, but they were the best of the bunch. —Pam
Comment by Jean — June 2, 2010 @ 1:50 pm
That is so sweet!
We had a birds nest in a hanging basket a few years ago. I first discovered it when I watered. We were lucky enough to watch each of the chicks fly for the first time. The last baby stood on the edge and chirped and chirped while momma sat in a tree squawking away telling him I’m sure that he can do it!
He did eventually and we clapped and cheered.
Birds can be so fun to watch. It sounds like you got a good show that year. —Pam
Comment by ella — June 2, 2010 @ 2:20 pm
They are just darling. You are so lucky to have such a show in your garden. I can’t wait to see photos of them sitting on a branch together. Maybe there is another one down below them.
Maybe. I thought there were three one time, but now I don’t know. —Pam
Comment by Lisa at Greenbow — June 2, 2010 @ 3:48 pm
Oh good gravy, those are the sweetest things ever. Do you know what kind of owls they are?
They are eastern screech owls, Monica. —Pam
Comment by Monica the Garden Faerie — June 2, 2010 @ 5:20 pm
I’ve been enjoying the owl saga! I know this sounds crazy, but they look so perfect in the photos, it’s almost like they’re not real birds, but statues.
Maybe this calls for a short video of the birds actually moving, huh, Susan? —Pam
Comment by Susan Morrison — June 2, 2010 @ 6:29 pm
How cool is this. Says a whole bunch about your habitat!!
It’s very cool, CIMS. The owls were here before we put up the box, of course. We used to hear their trills and whinnies in the trees at night, along with the hoots of great horned owls. —Pam
Comment by compostinmyshoe — June 2, 2010 @ 7:18 pm
They are so cute. I need to look into getting an owl box. I guess they would live in the city.
They are canopy hunters, Lola, so probably anywhere there are plenty of trees is good for them. The Audubon website says they are common in urban and suburban areas. Click for more info. —Pam
Comment by Lola — June 2, 2010 @ 9:27 pm
Those owlets are absolutely adorable.
Comment by Sweet Bay — June 2, 2010 @ 9:38 pm
What wonderful owl images!
Comment by Nancy — June 2, 2010 @ 9:52 pm
That is just the coolest thing ever, especially for Rice grads. Neighbors have told me we have owls on our cul-de-sac … maybe I need to build and install an owl box?
You should, Cindy. They are so fun to watch. —Pam
Comment by Cindy, MCOK — June 2, 2010 @ 9:53 pm
The owlets are stunning Pam, it is a good job there is just the two though…I do not think another owl-head would fit through that opening!
How much fun to have these charismatic characters in your garden.
ESP.
I agree. Sometimes I wonder if it’s a two-headed owl chick in there. We will see soon, I think, when they start trying to fly. —Pam
Comment by ESP — June 2, 2010 @ 10:52 pm
Adorable! Makes me want to leave the city for the semi-country too.
Comment by chuck b. — June 3, 2010 @ 1:21 am
They are so sweet! Love the camouflage pattern on the adults too!
Comment by Chookie — June 3, 2010 @ 2:40 am
Look at those two little sweethearts!!! What a joy to have beauty right in your yard!!
Comment by Verdant Wilds — June 3, 2010 @ 3:10 am
Awwwww! They’re so cute.
Are these Screech Owls?
Comment by Xris (Flatbush Gardener) — June 3, 2010 @ 6:36 am
OOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG I want one!
Comment by Mamaholt — June 3, 2010 @ 8:42 pm
I’m jealous, the little ones are just to-to-to cute for words. The only owl we have in our garden is a plastic one to keep the birds from the tomato plants(and so not working).
Comment by Debby Boyd — June 4, 2010 @ 9:27 pm
Owl boxes? Never knew about those. Great shots. How wonderful to have such wildlife right under your eyes.
Comment by Joan — June 5, 2010 @ 9:58 pm
Wonderful photos Pam. I especially love the last pic where the owl is looking directly into the camera. We’ve heard an owl once or twice around here, and I *think* I saw a large shape sitting on top of the telephone pole one night that wasn’t there when I looked again. It’s exciting having owls around.
Comment by Jayne - Green and Serene — June 7, 2010 @ 8:33 pm
[...] needed some time to grow into a name, but an extended visit from a young family sealed the deal. A family of screech owls, that is. We hear great horned owls on a regular basis too, especially in winter. In tribute to [...]
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