Comments on clay and limestone: Owls In The Garden

How wonderful that your garden is supporting these...

2011-12-15T19:26:01.668-06:00

How wonderful that your garden is supporting these beautiful birds and lucky that you get to hear them regularly. Owls are one thing I have not seen or heard in our area but I'm hoping as we remove the lawn and return this area to a more natural surroundings they will eventually come.

I love owls and you got a beautiful capture. Love ...

2011-12-15T10:30:23.714-06:00

I love owls and you got a beautiful capture. Love your moon shot through the trees too. Just beautiful!

We've seen an increase in predator birds here ...

2011-12-15T08:39:23.148-06:00

We've seen an increase in predator birds here the last couple of years. I love being outdoors late at night hearing owls' calls. Sometimes I can see their silhouettes in the trees this time of year.

We seem to have fewer squirrels and rabbits this year, possibly due to the increase in owls and hawks around here. Most years after the leaves fall, we see five squirrel's nests, give or take. This year there's only one nest. They're fun to watch, but very destructive in the garden, especially in the numbers we've had them. I'd miss them if they were gone completely, but happy to see less of them.

Wonderful moon photo with the bare tree branches G...

2011-12-14T16:25:10.475-06:00

Wonderful moon photo with the bare tree branches Gail.
I worry about our resident owls too because they are turning the field behind our house into a development. I hope they stay but each year the "natural" area gets smaller and smaller.
When my dog was a puppy, I had one swoop over him when we were out after midnight on a "last call" bathroom run. I started waving my arms and yelling and it flew up. I know they have to eat too but I didn't want my dog to be dinner!!
They are definitely majestic birds.

We have a pair of Barred Owls in our woods. Have ...

2011-12-13T19:45:34.750-06:00

We have a pair of Barred Owls in our woods. Have seen a Great Horned Owl, but haven't heard them calling. They are such cool birds to hear AND see! Glad you have a pair in your woods.

Oh i love most that first photo, as if foreshadowi...

2011-12-13T19:24:07.643-06:00

Oh i love most that first photo, as if foreshadowing a horror drama. For me it goes well with the owl, as when we were kids we were really afraid of its howling. We just hear them after midnight or before dawn, but we never had the chance to see it, maybe they are in the forest a bit far from us. I wonder what happened as these days, we lost that sound.

Gail, love all the critters and the woods that now...

2011-12-13T16:10:54.878-06:00

Gail, love all the critters and the woods that now surround my cottage. Do not miss city life.
Love your image...

I've hooted with great horneds before! I love ...

2011-12-13T13:59:48.289-06:00

I've hooted with great horneds before! I love to hear them "talk" in the back garden. I've yet to spot one back there, but I did catch a glimpse of a great horned owl at our former house, and it was amazing. They are very large. I'm hoping for a new little tenant in my screech owl box this winter.

That made me laugh, I've had more than one con...

2011-12-13T12:28:56.949-06:00

That made me laugh, I've had more than one conversation with a great-horned owl at night here. Fortunately nobody lives close enough to hear the crazy woman trying to speak owl in the dark ;) I've been hearing the owls get quite chatty here in recent weeks, and like you, I'd be terribly sad if they ever left. The only good thing is I doubt we'll run out of voles any time soon, so they have plenty to eat around here, and hopefully that will give them incentive to stay!

How cool that you have owls nearby! I haven't ...

2011-12-13T10:36:16.650-06:00

How cool that you have owls nearby! I haven't heard owls around here for years. I think the book Grace Peterson is referring to is "Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen.

Imagining the sounds dear Gail of your owl with yo...

2011-12-13T10:10:51.883-06:00

Imagining the sounds dear Gail of your owl with your spectacular image of the moon is thrilling. I hope it will never leave your garden. How could it for your wise and caring stewardship is most likely its reason for survival.

How thrilling! I heard a Great Horned once from my...

2011-12-13T08:24:35.190-06:00

How thrilling! I heard a Great Horned once from my own backyard and was so excited. I read they will eat geese, of which we have many nearby in the river. They overnight in the small bay here. In this area, I have seen the silhouette of a Great Horned Owl high in a tree, a Barred Owl and a Snowy. Each time I am impressed.

So nice to have owls! I often hear them hooting i...

2011-12-13T07:09:15.825-06:00

So nice to have owls! I often hear them hooting in the evening and early morning. I have tried to spot them before, but no luck yet.

It's so nice that the owls stayed even with the loss of some of the habitat around! It is so sad to see more and more forested areas cut down.

We have a pair of Great Horned Owls on the farm fo...

2011-12-12T21:36:41.258-06:00

We have a pair of Great Horned Owls on the farm for the first time this year. We've always had Barred Owls before now.

We flushed one of the GHs from the wood's edge the other day when we were handwalking the horses.

There is something about an owl hoo hooing in the ...

2011-12-12T18:58:08.908-06:00

There is something about an owl hoo hooing in the night that makes me smile. One of my favorite birds to watch.

Grace, It was Owl Moon and i remember it well/ I...

2011-12-12T18:54:15.905-06:00

Grace, It was Owl Moon and i remember it well/ It was a lovely book filled with wonder and an adventure with a dad. I loved it and so did my son. xxoog

Hoo Hoo Hoo is the lucky girl? Owls are so nice to...

2011-12-12T13:55:11.501-06:00

Hoo Hoo Hoo is the lucky girl? Owls are so nice to have around and Great Horned are the best. We have been having the slightly more eerie coyote howling here. They howl at the beautiful moon but also when the fire siren from the nearest town goes off.

There is a children's book about owls with del...

2011-12-12T13:27:25.846-06:00

There is a children's book about owls with delightful illustrations. It is the story of a father taking his child out on a winter's night to call for the owl. They hike to a clearing and call and the owl comes towards them and hoots back. I wish I could remember the name of the book. It's one of my absolute favorites. Your post reminds me of it. We have owls in the woods behind the neighbors. Every now and then you can hear them. It's always a delight. Great post!

We have heard owls hoot, rather alarming when they...

2011-12-12T13:20:15.926-06:00

We have heard owls hoot, rather alarming when they bellow down the chimney or the whirlibird vents. Just a few times we have seen them - perched on the roof or high up in a tree. Owlbox is on our list.

We had a neighbor that had a big dead apple tree i...

2011-12-12T13:14:06.839-06:00

We had a neighbor that had a big dead apple tree in her garden where the Great Horned owls would nest. She cut down the tree because she thought it unsightly. I cried. We never hear it any more.

Wonderful photo Gail!

2011-12-12T10:19:44.058-06:00

Wonderful photo Gail!

The barn owls I see here are welcome for their wor...

2011-12-12T08:45:30.710-06:00

The barn owls I see here are welcome for their work in lowering the mouse population. I would love to hear a Great Horned Owl in real life!

One night I returned home and nearly felt rushing ...

2011-12-12T08:27:50.262-06:00

One night I returned home and nearly felt rushing wings fly right over my head. Then, I heard the owl's loud call. It rocked me to my socks! I know there are several owls around hers.~~Dee

Like Carol, I hear them across the way, too. The ...

2011-12-12T06:37:12.521-06:00

Like Carol, I hear them across the way, too. The sound is haunting but not at all scary, to humans, anyway. May they always grace Clay and Limestone!
xxxooo
Frances

I hear owls hooting across the street in the woods...

2011-12-12T06:25:54.835-06:00

I hear owls hooting across the street in the woods behind my neighbors' houses. I love that sound on a quiet night, especially when the moon is full.