Shh, I'm hunting wabbits...okay, owls.

I put up a screech owl house in a tree in my backyard back in January. Finally, a few weeks ago we spotted one in the area so I got serious about watching the house for occupants. While huddling outside as it got dark in the cold, I could swear I heard an owl in a bush near our house, not the owl house. Eventually though, an owl head popped out of the owl house and I just brushed off the bush noise as a weird sound reflection from the owl house off my brick walls.

Here's the shot from the evening when we first saw one in the backyard, but before we knew there was one living in the owl house, a tight crop:



Here's the emergence from the house:



and on the branch:



So, the pattern repeated the next night. Trilling sounds from the shrub and owl head from the owl house 10 minutes later.

Link to the sound:

http://cdn.audubon.org/cdn/farfutur..._3.monotonictrill_SCle.mp3?uuid=5ac5ee41413d4

A few days later, in the afternoon, I finally decided to check out the shrub. It is a sweet olive that is about 12 feet tall. Sure enough, there is one about 10 feet up, in the densest part.

So here is a series from underneath looking up at him. I'm assuming "him" living outside and "her" in the owl house.







And finally one from the yard. See him? I can't and I know where he is.



I took that shot at about 90 degrees from the shrub and owl house, equal distance between them. Here's the owl house from that perspective.



So it was nice to confirm that my hearing was good and we have two residents. I've been out a few more times and am only shooting if I get a good shot. This one is from a closer side.



Last night just barely got my head around to see shrub boy fly away so no chance to get a camera on him. House girl came out 10 minutes later and dropped some shavings out of the house then ducked back in. So maybe some chicks in there? Or owlets, I guess. Got too dark to continue.

Now I need to figure out how to get a camera with a remote up there so I don't distract them, even though I'm back 20 yards or so.

We were hanging out in the woods years ago after riding all day , we would build a fire roast weenys and drink beer till it was all gone , all at once the woods erupted with screeching noise from all directions , the dogs and all of us were almost standing in the fire . I was told it was screech owls , you'll know when you here them . It's a scary sound . And if you have small dogs keep them inside . I see an owl in the trees in my yard occasionally , that nest box is a good idea , probly my favorite bird to see in the wild .

vewy, vewy kewl.

NICE I mean nice