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

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Adventures with Mel and Syd

With the upcoming Holiday, one wonders if Mel & Sydney took the carol’s title "“Silent Night" literally for very few screeches heard during the course of the late evening 7:40pm & 11:00.
But wait..
The wee morning hours proved to be different!!

Incoming deets heard 3:15am followed by distant screeches 3:16, 3:28, 3:29. Close deets heard 3:50 & 3:52.
Female Owl (Sydney is that you?) landed on the porch 4:20, took off 4:23 but possibly landed on playground. Muttering heard close by 4:33. Incoming deets started 5:01 & continued with Mel’s arrival into the box 5:03.

He immediately started dancing. Sydney (?) followed close behind but landed on the playground.

Mel began beak snapping & huffing. He moved to the door keeping his eyes on his beloved. He let out a cute little trill 5:08 & stepped out chittering 5:10 which continued for 5 minutes straight before taking off 5:17. He circled around landing on the playground. All we saw was a glimpse of a wing the rest of him was out of camera viewing. Seems both were there for awhile. We could hear them (a squeak here, a smooch there). One of them took off from the playground, landed on the porch 5:28 then flew off 5:29 returning to the playground at 5:34. Again we saw a glimpse of a wing. Distant screeches heard 5:36. Wow what a show!
Both are spending the day hunkered down close by.