Nature Notes: Owling Season

I was outside the other night checking on our chickens when I saw a large bird float by silently and land in the nearby willow tree. The great horned owl and I looked at each other. I was thinking of how wonderful it is to have wild critters so close to home and also wondering if we should worry about the safety of our chickens. Not sure what she/he was thinking as it watched me standing in the chicken yard and hooted plaintively.

I have seen two owls together perched in the fir tree that the chickens love to sit under, I've seen them perched on the windmill facing the chicken yard, I've seen one perched on a power pole, I've seen them in the barn...It looks like we have a mated pair on the property and this is the mating season for owls. I am looking forward to hearing their musical late night talks as they hoot back and forth to each other. Then comes the fun of looking for their nest among the many firs and willows we have. And come March or April we could have a couple owlets calling for food every night.

Since we haven't yet lost a chicken and the owls have had plenty of opportunity to have a successful hunt, I will breath a bit easier and just enjoy their presence. And heaven forbid, one of our chicks is taken, I'll just accept it as payment to the natural world and work at outsmarting the owl next time. I'd rather the owls were here than not.

If you want to learn more about the life history of great horned owls, check out this website (Enature.com). It is where the photo came from as well.