Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to anyone who may be out there.  I hope you had a wonderful holiday season however you chose to spend it.

For us, we went for a walk at last night on new year's eve to a nearby green space.  We know where some long-eared owls have been roosting and I suggested that we visit the area just before dark in hopes to see the owls fly out from the large conifer that they hide in.  It's something to see any owl flying about at their own will, a natural thing, and not being flushed by a human encroaching on their space and scaring them to fly away.

It was a dark and cloudy day, and by the time we arrived at the location, the snow had started to fall.  Nothing major but enough to make things darker, and wet.  We saw a pair of coyotes under the grove of trees which was nice.  They were big healthy animals who took notice to us, watching us from a distance for a moment before moving along.  One animal went east and the other went west.  I managed to get one relatively clear photo before they left.

Then moments later out came one of the long-eared owls.  It landed on a branch just above where that coyote just was.  I like this capture of the owl's silhouette.

The owl flew around a bit, landing back at that branch.  I wandered around the grove of trees.  I spotted it again in the now almost total darkness.  I forgot to bring my glasses so I couldn't see my camera screen well enough to adjust my manual settings.  I fumbled with the buttons, remembering what does what, adjusting things and then pointed the camera at the owl, hoping to get something.  This is what I got.  I think I will share it to that Facebook group "Crap Wildlife Photography".  HAHA!

I made my way back around to where Angie was standing and just watching the trees for any movement.  Soon another owl flew out, and then another, and then another, and then another.  In the end, we were quite certain that we saw 8 long-eared owls fly out from these trees.  All soared across the field to another cluster of trees to the west.  It was neat to see despite not being that long lasting.  I guess that was for the better since the snow was getting heavier, it was new year's eve and we had other plans at home for the evening.  A nice nature outing to end 2023.

Now with the precipitation, I had hoped it would bring Little Al the eastern screech owl to our box in the backyard for the next day, New Year's Day.  It would be unique to say that the first bird of 2024 was an owl as most years it was a cardinal (nothing against cardinals, I love them too).  I told Angie that no matter how late we stayed up that I wanted to be out of bed by 7 AM so I could watch the "owl box".  We were in bed around 12:40 AM and next thing I know is Angie is poking me in the side and informing me that it was 7:18.  I was disappointed that it was 18 minutes later than the time I wanted to be up.  Why?  In past views of Little Al in the morning, he's in the box by 7:10-ish.  I debated for a moment as I lay in bed.  The thought of getting a little more sleep was very appealing.  In the end, I got up at 7:21.  

I found my clothes on the floor in the dark bedroom and walked out to the kitchen.  I opened the shutters and struggled to see the face of the box from the window as it was still quite dark outside.  I could make out that there was an owl at the entry hole.  Yay, Little Al was the first bird for 2024!  Now that I'm awake, I decided to step out to the deck for a better look and take a picture of the first bird.  A couple photos, then I put my bins on him for a nice memorable view of him with my own eyes.

I'm content and about to go back inside when suddenly I see from the corner of my eye an owl flying to the tree along the fence line!  It landed on a broken branch stump.  OMG, there are two screech owls in the yard!!!!!  I point my camera at this bird and take a few photos.  Thankfully it sat still for 15 seconds before it flew to the box.

I like this photo even if it is grainy since the natural lighting in the early morning was lacking.  I put it on my AI app and made it a little better, at least I think so.

I went back inside, going to the bedroom to inform Angie that there were two screech owls in the yard.  She told me that was her thought just as she had gone back to sleep, there will be two owls today.  She decided to get up, figuring she wouldn't get back to sleep again now, and headed to the kitchen for a look out the window.  One of the owls had its head sticking out the hole so her first bird of 2024 also was a screech owl.

I have to admit that in the last few weeks I suspected that there may have been two owls.  I had no proof though.  Why did I think this?  Behaviour.  Little Al is a very chill bird.  I can be outside and he pays almost no attention to me.  I don't abuse this privilege but if we do encounter each other out there, he ignores me for the most part, and just zones.  Then a couple times I have found that the owl at the box has been glaring at me.  One morning it spooked and flew out of the box, going to some cedars a few yards over.  Then as I went back inside, the owl returned to the box.  Little Al has never done that.  Now with two birds, both looking the same, I am extra cautious and treat both as the skittish new bird.

The evening of new year's day had us watching the box, to see if we could see both owls leave.  We saw an owl head.  Then it went back in the box.  Then an owl head again.  Another retreat inside.  Then a head again.  It was 5:18 PM, totally dark out, but we saw an owl leave the box.  Seconds later it was followed by the second owl.  Awesome!

Interesting is with the second owl, now they're both being quite elusive.  We've been monitoring the box the best we can from the kitchen.  Me in the morning and Angie at dusk because of our different work hours.  We aren't heavily monitoring but are making some effort to look out for them a little more.  No owls have been seen but that doesn't mean they aren't in there.  As I key this, I can see the kitchen window from the living room and the box as well.  Blue jays have attacked the box a few times so that's a pretty good sign someone, or both, are in there today.  My thoughts have been swimming with if they chose to nest here this coming spring.  Oh man!  The excitement.  The stress and worry over baby owls.  It will be something.

Here's a newly fledged screech owl that I saw a few Mays ago.  Adorable, eh.

So, again, happy new year to you.  How did you spend it?  I look forward to reading about it in the comments.  Cheers!