owlets imminent

Eastern Screech-Owl digiscoped in the backyard in 2004

Sorry for the old image above but I wanted to (quickly) share that for the 3rd time in the past 5 years what appears to be the same female Screech-Owl is nesting in my backyard owl box. Every evening for the past couple weeks I hear her softly warbling from the box near 8 PM. She will continue her soft warbling until her call is finally answered by the male's higher pitched trill. From past year's experience I've deduced that the female's lower warble means, "I'm hungry... where are you with my dinner?" The male's return call then can be loosely translated as, "Right here dear, come and get it!"

Upon hearing this, "mama" owl will drop into the dense brush to retrieve her morsel from "Dad" and return to the box after a quick meal (couple minutes tops). I will have to see what happens tonight, but soon "papa" owl will deliver the food (usually a Brown Anole or Cuban tree frog) to the box, and "mama" will take it back inside with her indicating that we have hatched owlets!

At first "mom" will stay close to the box while "dad" does all the hunting but as the chicks get a bit older both parents will come and go all night long.

I haven't seen any sign of young'uns yet, but am expecting to any day now. I'll keep you all (or y'all as we are apt to say here in the south) informed!