i've never seen one in the wild- lucky duck! but through rescue programs we have seen them up close and personal and they are adorable. it's interesting that he was curious about you and calm. the ones we'd seen through raptor rescue were as well, but i sort of assumed that was because they'd become accustomed to humans in their convalescence. neat to know they are naturally like that. saw a barred owl one day in the shadows about 15 feet away, up in a tree, and other kinds at a further distance, but never anything so close in the wild.

Screech owls and barred owls are the easiest to call. I can do a barred owl well enough that they answer me, and sometimes fly in close to take a look. I learned it from a friend who was so good at it, you really couldn't tell the difference between her calls and the owls. Birders will on occasion use a recording of a screech owl call to bring in small birds. Birds will "mob" any screechie they thing is in their nesting territory, so they respond to the call by flying in like crazy to take a look around. This isn't really considered a good thing to do very often as it agitates the little birds, obviously. Once in awhile, it is helpful in seeing just what you might have living in a given area, though. I have been hearing barred owls at night for weeks now. Earlier in the season, I had two in my big oaks, calling at the top of their lungs one night, but I never could get the light on them to see them. Now they are calling from a block or so away every night. Ya gotta love owls. Too cool! Marcia

Three years ago I built a screech owl nest box and put it in a maple about 15 feet above the ground. After a starling nest and two years of squirrels, a family of red morph screech owls have moved in. The tree is at the edge of a wooded area facing south toward a 20 acre area of open organic farm, some wooded area and open field. The fledglings can often be seen peaking out of the hole. I live in eastern Long Island NY.

Thanks Miss elly! No sign of either owl this morning, but that's not too unusual...they often show up every other day, near as I can tell. Not so sure about a predator...that egg dropped while she was sitting on the frond and landed eggs-actly where her poop does! Plus...she didn't seem too upset, although come to think of it, she did turn her head suddenly and look behind her right after she 'laid' the egg. Could've been 'something' up there, but I would've seen a big ol' coon, I'm sure. Although...this morning, the shell was gone (I forgot to remove it!)...and there were signs that a coon had been in my yard! You know...the usual...dirty footprints on my white fence from it climbing over into my yard...prints also on a chaise by the pool...evidentally it walked over it instead of around it. At any rate...I'll go check the palm for any holes, but I rather tend to doubt I'll find any...the palm trunk is only about 4-5" thick. Would this be wide enough for a nest? I feel so bad for her!