Hi Dirtgirl, I think you're an Indian. (that's a compliment). Do owls moult? Are you sure they're owl feathers?

Yes, Bob, you have to be a licensed falconer to own a captive bird of prey? The training is time intensive so usually only those individuals really dedicated to owning, caring for, and hunting with a raptor become falconers. BN

I've had a pair of Barred Owls nesting in my backyard for eight years now. I used to have lots of pictures on here from previous years nests but they have been removed over time. However, here is a picture of mama owl sitting in the nest this year while there were eggs or tiny young in there. Now she sits on a limb of another tree guarding her nest of young. (I saw a little one peeking out at me yesterday while I was in the yard). As you can see, the nest site is in a large tree that lost a limb many years ago and this resulted in a large cavity in that spot. What you are describing of the owl sitting in one spot tells me that her nest is nearby and that young ones are in the nest. Check all the big trees you have closely near where she is sitting and maybe you will find what she is guarding. Good luck and keep us posted if you find the nest!!

Today was the day for 2 baby owlettes to leave the tree nest in my backyard. This is the same tree that has been used by the owls in the years before but what I found to be remarkable was that the owlettes left on 5/9 of last year and that's today's date of this batch of babies leaving as well! Amazing!! This year's story..... I only thought there was one owlette in the nest because I had only seen one little head peeking at me from time to time. When I got home from the grocery earlier today my neighbor ran to my door to tell me that a baby owlette was in their back yard and had been sitting there for quite awhile. They didn't know what to do and quite frankly I was hoping for all that I was worth that it wasn't the owl from my backyard because it was going the wrong way!!! I have acres of woodland behind my house and this little fella was going toward more houses. Wrong way! When I got to the neighbor's house I quickly realized that it was indeed the little owlette from my backyard. I looked for quite awhile but didn't see the parents and they surely would have shown themselves had they known where this little guy was with us being so near him. We decided to move him back towards the nesting tree at the forest edge because I felt it would definitely be a safer place. I got a cardboard box and was able to easily scoop him into it (I got to touch him and he was wonderful!). I got him into my backyard and placed him on the ground. He hopped only a couple of inches away but turned back towards me and just sat. I sat with him for a few minutes and I made some of my mama owl sounds (yeah, right... lol) but for whatever reason he actually was making sounds back with me. Truly wonderful. Still no sight of mom or dad yet. I'm worried. I left him and went to sit on my deck. He came towards my house instead of going towards the woods. He climbed a tree near my deck but fell when he was about 10 feet up. Then he hopped across the yard back towards the woods. Yaaaay! Then I finally saw Dad!!! He came and sat in the tree next to the deck and I'm pretty sure he was gonna make sure I didn't go near the little one again. Later in the day the little one finally climbed a tree and stayed. Mom & Dad were near. Still later in the day I was watching them all and saw movement near the other little one. YES!!!!.... it was a second owlette climbing the nearby tree!!! There were two of them! Yaaay! They both climbed.... and they both fell out of their trees. As it was getting dark I couldn't watch them any longer but I knew they were together as was Mom & Dad. And now.... here's pics of this year's (2008) baby owlettes! What a wonderful day!!! Judy