screech owl – Tierra de Oro Laboratory https://tdolab.org Physiology and Ecology in the Pinyon-Juniper Savanna Sat, 17 May 2025 17:12:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://i0.wp.com/tdolab.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Stink-Beetle-sq512_512.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 screech owl – Tierra de Oro Laboratory https://tdolab.org 32 32 241164284 Owl Cam: Maybe a Week To Go https://tdolab.org/owl-cam-maybe-a-week-to-go/ Sat, 17 May 2025 17:12:22 +0000 https://tdolab.org/?p=1022 The owlets in the nest box have been growing at an astounding rate, and are well on their way to fledging. The parents have been delivering food constantly, and the chicks get more active and inquisitive all the time.

Sleepy parent having a look out the doorway. Credit Terry Morgan, 5/10/25.

The parents have been out and about quite a bit, and seem unbothered by the presence of observers and paparazzi.

Parent, probably mom, resting in the late morning. 5/14/25.

Family Album from Past Years

This seems like a good time to reminisce about past broods. It’s hard to know how long these particular parents have been rearing young in Terry’s box, but screech owls have been nesting there for many years. Terry has many more excellent photos; here is a small sampling.

Parent resting on a chair on the patio. Credit: Terry Morgan.
Four fledglings and a parent (far right) in the eaves. Credit: Terry Morgan.
Fledgling on the patio. Credit: Terry Morgan.
Fledgling in a pinyon tree. Credit: Terry Morgan.

The drama in the nest box continues. Based on past broods, he expects them to fledge on or about May 22. As always, stay tuned for more.

]]> 1022 New Feature: Owl Cam https://tdolab.org/new-feature-owl-cam/ Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:32:32 +0000 https://tdolab.org/?p=805 New Season of an Ongoing Project

For several years, our neighbor Terry has been recording and posting footage from his camera inside a next box occupied by a pair of western screech owls. He has always had a strong following on Facebook, but for those of us who do not use the platform, he has offered to make the information and videos available here on the Lab web site.

Black and white image of an owl sitting inside a nest box
Owl resting triumphantly after removing the mirror that had been mounted on the upper right. 3/4/25.

Once again, they have prepped the nest box and have started to lay eggs. The first video clips have been uploaded to Terry’s Owl Cam page, along with his comments and a spreadsheet of data regarding previous broods.

New videos and commentary will be uploaded regularly, so stay tuned for plenty of drama and excitement. There are two eggs now, with more to come, and then it will be about another month before they hatch. Once the eggs hatch, there will be a festival of cuteness as the little fuzzballs eat and grow for roughly another month before they fledge.

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