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Re: Owl Nest?
- To: Bob & Connie Shertz <shertz1@mindspring.com>, carolinabirds@duke.edu (CAROLINA BIRDS)
- Subject: Re: Owl Nest?
- From: "BILL HILTON JR. (Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History)"<hilton@hiltonpond.org>
- Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 16:49:11 -0500
- In-Reply-To: <38E3C237.DE48640D@mindspring.com>
- References: <38E3C237.DE48640D@mindspring.com>
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
>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>
Voice: (803) 684-5852
eFax: (503) 218-0845
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit research and education organization, so all in-kind or
monetary gifts to Operation RubyThroat and the Center are
tax-deductible. Please visit our websites:
Hilton Pond: <http://www.hiltonpond.org>
Operation RubyThroat: <http://www.rubythroat.org>
"Never trust a person too lazy to get up for sunrise or too busy to
watch the sunset."
BHjr.
**********