I've been watching them for an hour now, and they are still eating. There are two kids and one grown up. I wonder if this is the same owl I got a shot of last spring. Either way, I love their hoo hoo, ho hoooo sounds at twilight. I love that I have enough trees that they call this place home. I don't even mind that I'm going to have to clean up dead bird bones later today. I am blessed to live in an area that hasn't managed to wipe out all of the native species that belong here.
Update: I emailed the Illinois Raptor Center, and they very quickly responded to my query. Those are Eastern Screech Owls. I had been thrown off because my birds didn't have big ear tufts, but as it turns out, they can flatten them down sometimes, too. As an aside, I learned that the screech owls who live at the Center are named Mulder and Sculley. Their names match their mysterious nature, I suppose. :)
Bird carnage aside, the owls are very pretty. I didn't know they came in a rust colour.
ReplyDeleteWow, cool!
ReplyDeleteWe had a red-tailed hawk in our yard a few months back, but no hooters in the city.
That's just too cool! I envy you. The most interesting wild critters in my yard are the two (or more) garden/garter snakes that everyone sees except me...and I'm the one who loves to watch them. I put your picture on my screensaver. Mom
ReplyDeleteAren't owls fascinating?
ReplyDelete