Western Screech Owl in Grandmother Oak

Joy of Joys! Forgot to mention, last night while saleslady was carrying on about the dirt deep in my carpet, I heard a faint calling coming in from the backyard. I asked the girl to hold the noise a bit and I went to the back door.

I heard it again! The 'string of Ohs' which is the Western Screech Owl. Hurrah! I haven't heard one the past two years. Back around 5 years ago a pair of screech owls raised babies in the apricot tree next door. The neighbor's tree was subsequently cut down, but there are other places to nest. Not to mention the screech owl nest box I shelled out for but as I am incapable of figuring out where to hang the damned thing, the next box shall continue dwelling in the bowels of my garage. Come to think on it, there are hummingbird nest doo-hickies in the garage too. Why do I buy stuff then store it away? What a horrid American-consumer I am.

Where was I? Yes, my owls are back! For one glorious summer I could go in the back yard between 9 and 9:15 each evening and watch the two adults and their like fluff-butt babies tumbling in the heritage oak next door. They were so cute. The babies sounded like monkeys and the adults had a sharp 'knock it off!' noise to talk to their babies or perhaps to chase me away, who knows which. I even got a few pictures back then.

I am so hoping the owl stays around and hope, hope, hope, attracts a mate. It would be heaven to have baby Screech Owls tumbling and squabbling in the old oak again.