SNN (ScrollingNetworkNews) ✿ ✿ Our Mel and Sydney returned to their nesting box with plenty of bonding occurring..but after 2.5 months of Sydney in the box from Dec 2013 to mid Feb 2014, the lack of prey gifts from Mel ( perhaps due to the severe and historic drought underway in California)and they have forgone the nesting process this year as many other raptors ✿ Compared to other owls of similar size, the Barn Owl has a much higher metabolic rate, requiring relatively more food. Pound for pound, Barn Owls consume more rodents – often regarded as pests by humans – than possibly any other creature. ✿ We remind viewers that sometimes owlets may not survive - the parents will dispose of things in "The Owl Way" -viewer discretion is advised, this is nature and the "Owl way". ✿ ~ ✿ “Animals, like us, are living souls. They are not things. They are not objects. Neither are they human. Yet they mourn. They love. They dance. They suffer. They know the peaks and chasms of being.” ― Gary Kowalski, The Souls of Animals ✿ Each species is a masterpiece, a creation assembled with extreme care and genius." ~ E.O. Wilson

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Adventures with Mel and Syd

Deets, screeches & sweet sounds of Mel’s chittering heard several times throughout the night. With each visit he entered the Kastle:


  1. 12:08-12:10am, As shown in the video below (visits 1 & 2)
  2.  12:14-12:42, flyby 1:00am
  3.  1:04-1:15am
  4. 3:58-4:52 am
  5. 5:00-5:37am 

Mel entertained us with his fancy foot work as soon as he entered.

On his 3rd visit after exiting he jumped to the roof then camera housing, looked around then flew off towards the back. Distant deets & screeches heard since 2:26, 2:33 & 2:55.

On Mel's 4th visit, despite hearing the faint distant sounds of a GHO in the early hours, the brave & mighty Mel flew in silently entering the Kastle immediately 3:58.

He rearranged the furniture at 4:49, knocked on the back wall 4:51, moved to the door then left 4:52.

On 5th visit, he arrived deeting & began to dance. His deeting became louder & louder. He grew more excited & his fancy foot work became more intense with the anticipation of Syd’s arrival. She landed on the rooftop 5.02 then took off but returned 5:04 landing by the door. Mel stopped deeting & dancing but he crouched down toe dusting, beak snapping & huffing (this is part of the courtship ritual). Syd left 5:12. Mel wondering where she went came out and looked for her then departed.

The playground shook 5:38 (landing), screeches were heard then pg shook again 5:49 (take off).

Incoming deets heard just before Syd’s touch & go landing at 5:53 then a split second later she returned but this time she landed on the upper perch.
She flew off at 5:55am, both to spend the day in the trees.






*Special thanks to our moderator Ozgood13 for his excellent report and keeping the log of times of Mels arrival times in the "Court of Kangas Kastle."