Owl Boxes and More

We never got around to mounting the owl box we got last Christmas (thanks, Josh!), and for Christmas this year we got a second owl box (thanks, Pat!). So with our two sons visiting between Christmas and New Year's, it was time to get them mounted.

One of the most difficult things was to find suitable trees. An owl box should face east, to be sheltered from the prevailing winds, and have some branches for owlets to grip as they fledge (learn to fly). It's also a challenge to get these rather large structures 20 feet off the ground.

The first owl house is sized for a small owl, such as a screech owl. We occasionally hear screech owls, and far more rarely saw-whet owls, so we hope someone will call this box home this spring.

We placed it about 15 feet up in a small-ish white oak.

The second owl box is significantly bigger and is sized for barn owls (or barred owls or great horned owls). We hear barred owls frequently, and also an occasional great horned owl. Again, we hope for residents this spring. Plans for this owl box can be found on the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society's web site.

This box is located about 20 feet high in a large white pine along a sheltered creek.

It wasn't all owls. Here are two more pictures from the week.

Lon moved some firewood off the concrete slab below our deck. It was filled with thousands of Asian multicolored lady beetles looking for winter shelter.

Amos and Maria investigate a low-lying small bird nest.