Owl for all season photo essay

Posted on Tuesday, March 01, 2011 7:40 AM

A wise owl once said...It is not what you know, but whoooooo...   Have you ever gone to a home of someone who adores owls? Have you ever had 24 big, old, inanimate, but watchful eyes follow you about a room? Owls are like clowns in that they are beautiful creatures, but they just look creepy in replica.   Over the course of the past 10 months I have been lucky enough to have "gotten to know" a little family of Great Horned Owls.   I say lucky because most folks do not live so close to nature they can reach out, and almost touch, or be touched, by what is wild and free. Even some who could or should look for it in their lives, are not observant enough.   Spring passed; summer came and went; fall passed; and now winter has begun to wane. The owls can be heard more often than seen but they've maintained their territory, wished their young well, and are ready to begin, again, in the circle of life.   It's nesting time again and my mini owl essay is complete with my newest photo of the winter owl. An owl for every season...   Fun Great Horned Owl facts:   they do not build their own nests but use other nests, old buildings, and platforms for nesting; which runs Jan. through Feb. when 3-4 eggs are laid and incubated for approx. 1 month; young move to branches at about six weeks of age a "family" of owls may stick together through summer months but the young will disperse in Fall. The original pair may keep their nesting territory for up to eight years. A mated pair is only together during the nesting season. Habitat ranges all over North America including cities and urban areas. Captive owls have a longer lifespan of maybe 30 years; wild owls usually only live about 13 years They like chickens. (I only mention this because I believe the owls may have helped in the decline of last year's flock)!   So, don't let creepy owl figurines keep you from loving the wise old owl.   I know I look forward to meeting this year's chicks; get to know them as they grow from fuzzy little freeks to one of Nevada's most interesting creatures;       And listen to them tell each other whoo, whoo, whoo they know. HjB