We had a very special family living in our backyard, and I couldn't be more excited to share them with you!
For the past several weeks, we have been watching a family of Western Screech Owls who have made themselves right at home around our patio. What started as an occasional glimpse of an owl tucked away in the shadows turned into something much more exciting when we discovered that there were babies!
These adorable little owls have been fascinating to watch. They are mostly gray, with beautiful feather patterns and those big, expressive eyes that seem to watch everything going on around them. One minute they are sitting quietly together, and the next they are looking in completely different directions as if they each have something very important to investigate!
One of my favorite things about photographing the young owls is their expressions. They can look serious and intense one moment and absolutely adorable the next. Their fluffy feathers and sweet little faces make them almost impossible to resist.
The babies have been spending time tucked among the beams and branches around our patio, giving us an opportunity to watch them from a distance. Of course, I have tried to be respectful of their space while still capturing a few photos and videos to remember this special experience.
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A Very Special Backyard Surprise
There is something magical about discovering wildlife so close to home. We spend so much time enjoying our backyard and patio, but I never expected to have a family of Western Screech Owls become part of the scenery!
Watching the babies grow and explore has been such a treat. They may be small, but they certainly have big personalities. I especially love seeing two of them sitting together, each with their own expression and attitude.
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Love this, Linda! They're a little bit spooky, but so intriguing! I've never seen an owl around my own habitat, but would consider it a thrill!
ReplyDeleteYes Linda as a matter of fact we did have owls on our Lanai and in our courtyard...I wrote about them a couple months ago...Ours were/are Burrowing Owls and are a protected species here in SW Florida. People come from miles around just to study and photograph them with huge big lens cameras which look almost like a movie production. They live in burrows all over the Cape. Usually, residents don't want them to come to their yards and gardens because once they settle in...you can not mow around them or do anything that might scare them as they are protected and it is a huge fine if you interfere starting at $25,000.00. (Yes, you read that right) The "Owl Patrol" will come to your home and erect yellow crime tape around the owls and their new burrows and erect 3 or 4 little white crosses in your yard for them to perch.They are adorable as they are very small...5-7 inches tall. They usually stay at the burrow(s) they dig as forever nests. (In other words, they stay all year 'round and for life) When one of the little sweeties started looking for a new burrow in our courtyard and on our lanai..I would go out and 'suggest' he find another place to start a new colony of family. I spoke nicely to him or her, but I really didn't want them (because they keep multiplying and digging more burrows much like prairie dogs) but as I said they are so cute and I do love birds. This particular little owl would perch on my outdoor furniture, our Television, our outdoor kitchen grill, sink, cabinets, the window sills above our slider doors and any little crevice or object he could find. Of course he loved the pool and waterfall and kindly left his 'daily deposits' on anything and everywhere. After several weeks of his and my discussions, I finally convinced him to find more suitable nesting grounds in vacant lots on our street. BTW, if a person buys a lot with existing burrows, they have to apply for a special permit to relocate them which I am told can number into the tens of thousands of dollars....plus no building or digging of foundations etc; can be started if it happens to be a nesting season. So in answer to your question, YES, WE HAVE HAD OWLS IN OUR YARD! LOL.... have a great and wonderful day. Stay cool and enjoy your temporary lodgers as you think about us and our permanent residents.🥰. Disclaimer: No owls Were Harmed in/During the telling of this story!
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