2011 - Eastern Screech Owl Nestbox in Austin!

[dale]

I guess all the "museum pieces" from last night's interior decoration of the nestbox have been EATEN.

From Chris:

April 18 – [3:00 AM] As you can see, things are almost back to normal. The ants are gone, the bedding in the box has been replaced, the three neatly beheaded cedar waxwings which were cached in the box were rendered ant free by being submerged in a bucket of water for more than an hour (any ants remaining alive on them must have gills), each owlet received a detailed medical inspection and treatment for the tiny black parasites we found on all of them, the box is back in the tree, and Mme. Owl returned to the owlets about half an hour after I picked-up all of my stuff and cleared out of the area.

The only lingering problem was that the youngest owlet had injuries to the eyelids of its still-closed eyes, and some injuries to the surrounding areas. These appear to have been the work, not of the ants, but of the tiny black parasites we found on all of the owlets. The state of the youngest's eyes was uncertain, so my raptor rehabber friend Sallie took owlet no. 4 to her home for more intensive care. The hope is that the owlet will recover with no serious injuries, and can be returned to the nest in a week or two. So, for the moment, we're down to three owlets, and Mme. Owl was very upset about that when she first returned and did an owlet count. (Evidently, screech owls can count to four, or, at a minimum, they can differentiate between three and more-than-three.)

Since then, Sallie returned to her home with owlet no. 4 and started working on the little guy/gal. She has reported that the injuries to the eyelids and face were not as serious as they first appeared; a small, dark feather from one of the cedar waxwings had become, in effect, glued across the eyelids by dried blood and parasite feces. The feather is gone, and the affected areas cleaned-up. In the meantime, owlet no. 4 has been fed a bellyful of minced mouse, and is sleepy comfortably in an incubator. With luck, no. 4's actual injuries will heal rapidly enough to allow its return to the nest sooner than expected.

Photos and whatnot later.

[Dumpsterkitty]

I guess all the "museum pieces" from last night's interior decoration of the nestbox have been EATEN.

From Chris:

April 18 – [3:00 AM] As you can see, things are almost back to normal. The ants are gone, the bedding in the box has been replaced, the three neatly beheaded cedar waxwings which were cached in the box were rendered ant free...

I guess that explains why the museum pieces had a particularly avian quality...made me nervous a few times, but for the darker color...

[MAK]

I guess all the "museum pieces" from last night's interior decoration of the nestbox have been EATEN.

From Chris:

April 18 – [3:00 AM] As you can see, things are almost back to normal. The ants are gone, the bedding in the box has been replaced, the three neatly beheaded cedar waxwings which were cached in the box were rendered ant free by being submerged in a bucket of water for more than an hour (any ants remaining alive on them must have gills), each owlet received a detailed medical inspection and treatment for the tiny black parasites we found on all of them, the box is back in the tree, and Mme. Owl returned to the owlets about half an hour after I picked-up all of my stuff and cleared out of the area.

The only lingering problem was that the youngest owlet had injuries to the eyelids of its still-closed eyes, and some injuries to the surrounding areas. These appear to have been the work, not of the ants, but of the tiny black parasites we found on all of the owlets. The state of the youngest's eyes was uncertain, so my raptor rehabber friend Sallie took owlet no. 4 to her home for more intensive care. The hope is that the owlet will recover with no serious injuries, and can be returned to the nest in a week or two. So, for the moment, we're down to three owlets, and Mme. Owl was very upset about that when she first returned and did an owlet count. (Evidently, screech owls can count to four, or, at a minimum, they can differentiate between three and more-than-three.)

Since then, Sallie returned to her home with owlet no. 4 and started working on the little guy/gal. She has reported that the injuries to the eyelids and face were not as serious as they first appeared; a small, dark feather from one of the cedar waxwings had become, in effect, glued across the eyelids by dried blood and parasite feces. The feather is gone, and the affected areas cleaned-up. In the meantime, owlet no. 4 has been fed a bellyful of minced mouse, and is sleepy comfortably in an incubator. With luck, no. 4's actual injuries will heal rapidly enough to allow its return to the nest sooner than expected.

Photos and whatnot later.

    

[dale]

I guess all the "museum pieces" from last night's interior decoration of the nestbox have been EATEN.

oh, I guess not. When Mom moved, there they all were. She just redecorated HER way.

[Dumpsterkitty]

MAAA!!! She's touching me!

[Dumpsterkitty]

AWWW!! Kiss & make up 

[or bite your beak off  ]

[MAK]

  Pretty funny stuff Ei! 

[dale]

"I am so not in the mood for waxwing. Plus, Chris touched that one, ew."

Check out how the little one is cuddled up next to dinner. He's only like a week old and is already hanging out with the wrong kind of people, with no ambition, no drive, no brains...

[dale]

the only bird sitting up is the dead one

[Kris G.]

the only bird sitting up is the dead one

 

[dale]

contact lens?

[Donna]

contact lens?

 

[dale]

Yaaaayyyy!

April 19 – Owlet no. 4 has cleaned-up well and does not appears as though he/she will benefit from additional medical treatment, so the plan is to return no. 4 to the nest tonight.

[MAK]

 

[Kris G.]

Yaaaayyyy!

April 19 – Owlet no. 4 has cleaned-up well and does not appears as though he/she will benefit from additional medical treatment, so the plan is to return no. 4 to the nest tonight.