BayouSlide Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Walking in the neighborhood this morning with my wife and dog, I noticed a pair of agitated mockingbirds harassing what appeared to be a lump of Spanish moss on the lawn of a home. It didn't take long to realize this "lump" was an adult eastern screech owl. After going home for the binocs and a phone number, we kept an eye on the little guy from a distance, to keep from stressing it further, and waited for the arrival of a raptor rehab lady we knew. It soon hopped along the edge of the house onto the porch for some temporary relief from the marauding mockingbirds, who were eager to drive the raptor from their neck of the neighbor. Through the binoculars, it was apparently it suffered some sort of minor infection in its left eye. Soon he was safely ensconced in a carry cage and on its way to the "bird clinic" to treat an injured wing and its eye problem. Love wildlife, love to see it in our city residential neighborhood and particularly love the opportunity to give a fascinating fellow creature another shot at a healthy life. Curtis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Well done sir. How big will he be when he grows up? Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoofy Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Everyone looks forward to their first meal after leaving the hospital, I think that owl's first meal will be mockingbird. Good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-JQ- Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 that is cool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouSlide Posted August 7, 2008 Author Share Posted August 7, 2008 How big will he be when he grows up?Bill Just a couple of inches more at most: a fully grown adult will top out at around 8 inches and 6 oz. Before we got the binocs, I thought it might be a fledgling great horned owl. They have similar coloration but grow to nearly 2 feet high. I'd seen one in the Adirondacks where I grew up and saw one at night ten years or so back at night on a utility pole across the street from my home. The rescue lady said that a great horned owl at one week of age would be a big as this little guy The picture is from my wife's cell phone camera...I've been kidding her for not grabbing a real camera when she went the couple of blocks back to our house. Curtis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouSlide Posted August 7, 2008 Author Share Posted August 7, 2008 Everyone looks forward to their first meal after leaving the hospital,I think that owl's first meal will be mockingbird. Another reason to like owls are their preferred menu: rats and mice. A few years back a rotten tree in a neighbor's yard harbored a sizable population of rats. Occasionally they'd decided to move uptown into our attic , so I'd keep a BB gun handy for when they visited our bird feeders. One night I was sneaking into position to neutralize a particularly big fella at the feeder. I took my shot from some bushes about 15 yards or so away, but missed. As the rat leapt, I "felt" something pass a foot or two over my head, a shadow and a little breeze but no absolutely sound. Seems like an owl had designs on that rat as well and all I did was blow his chances at dinner. Curtis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hitman Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Got a family of barn owls in my old hay loft. We get along great, they seem to watch out for me and I watch out for them. Love to watch them hunt at dusk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Nice save We have lots of horned owls here..I like them a lot!!! But I do have to keep an eye on my dog...they have given her the EYE a few times. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BayouSlide Posted August 7, 2008 Author Share Posted August 7, 2008 Nice save We have lots of horned owls here..I like them a lot!!! But I do have to keep an eye on my dog...they have given her the EYE a few times. Jim Jim, you obviously need a bigger dog Curtis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chp5 Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Very cool. We have an owl that comes to our backyard from time to time. I'm not sure what type of owl, but it's much bigger than the one you rescued. Very cool birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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