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Re: Owl Nest?



>Dear Carolinabirders,
>     Is this unusual???  We were on our way to North Topsail Beach from
>Raleigh, NC, today and drove around Snead's Ferry checking out property
>along the ICW at Pelican Point.  There were many osprey nests in the
>area.  While driving through an undeveloped area, I spotted close to the
>road what looked like an osprey nest in the top of a dead tree with
>something in it, but I was struck by how the bird (?) in it looked grey
>and thought it might be a great blue heron nest instead.   So we pulled
>over and pulled out the binoculars and observed what appeared to be two
>light-colored baby owls.  They looked like baby great horned owls (they
>had rings around their eyes and obvious ears).  We did not see any
>adults nearby.
>
>     I thought owls built their nests in cavities in trees.  Is it
>possible that they build nests in the top of dead trees like ospreys?
>We'd be glad to give directions if anyone wants to check them out.
>

CONNIE & BOB . . .

Neat observation!

Great Horned Owls are notorious for using old stick nests built by 
hawks, herons, etc. I even heard a reputable birder say he had seen a 
large stick nest that was occupied simultaneously by a Great Horned 
Owl and a Rde-tailed Hawk.

Some owls--Barred Owls, Barn owls, and Eastern Screech-Owls in 
particular--do occupy cavities, but many others are platform nesters.


Happy Birding!

BILL

**********

BILL HILTON JR., "The Piedmont Naturalist"
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
1432 DeVinney Road
York, South Carolina 29745
USA

e-mail: <hilton@hiltonpond.org>

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tax-deductible. Please visit our websites:

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"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to 
watch the sunset."

						BHjr.

**********