Yay! Screech owl is in our nesting box
After pulling out one squirrel’s nest and then seeing the cute but annoying rodent move back in earlier this spring, we’d given up on seeing a screech owl in our nesting box this year. But two days ago I looked out the kitchen window while making my lunch, and—surprise! There was a fierce, little owl face looking out. She’s skittish, and when I approached the back door with my camera, she dropped to the bottom of the box. I ended up getting this shot yesterday by shooting through the glass of the back door. Dare I hope for owlets?
Meanwhile the garden is an explosion of growth thanks to early spring rains and recent heat (we reached 90 F the other day, but low 80s are more typical). While I was waiting for the owl to reappear, I shot this back-deck vignette of colorful potted plants: Agave ‘Royal Spine,’ Dyckia in bloom, and Mexican feathergrass. None requires watering more than once every two weeks in summer—which is saying something in this climate.
The dyckia—I think it’s Dyckia fosteriana—is putting on a show, along with a dozen other woody lilies in my garden right now: yuccas, manfredas, and dyckias galore. No agaves though, which suits me fine. I’m not ready to lose any, and they die after blooming.
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Welcome home little owl. It sure looks cute peeking out of that box. Your pots are gorgeous. Happy Easter.
Isn’t it just the best when you build a home for wildlife and they actually come??? I haven’t been feeding the birds because we have so many rodents and I didn’t want to encourage them. But I missed my cardinals. So I filled my feeders with sunflower seed and this morning I had a multitude of mom, dad and baby cardinals. It was the best!
I hope you get owlets this year but have to say that just having an owl show up in the owl box would thrill me. Love your spiky blooms. Now those I have and some of mine are more than 10′ tall.
OMG, that little owl is so cute. Love that you captured the head popping out.
OWL!!!!! SOOOO CUTE!!!!!! Maybe she was making sure squirrel didn’t come back?
Cute owl! Fascinating critters! Your container vignette by the chair and pool –lovely!
Having an owl is so exciting. Good luck with her!
Yay! I’m glad your owl house is getting use. If that owl only knew how many people were inspired and excited by her presence. Thanks for sharing your good fortune with us.