Field Notes: January 2008

Jan 31        Flight at 5:40; she flew southeast to a low branch by the Smiths’ front steps — closer to me than ever before. When I moved to the top of the steps, I was just 15 feet away and 10 feet below eye-level. It was the best look I’ve had of her with the naked eye. She looked around for about 4 minutes, then flew off to the southwest. No pellet today.

Jan 30        Flight at 5:40; flew southeast around the Smiths’ house; 1 pellet in afternoon, reddish brown, not the usual gray

Jan 29        Flight at 5:42; flew to lower branch in same tree, dropped a large pellet at 5:48, then flew east at 5:50 toward me and over the house. Pellet was still very hot and (no surprise) smelled really bad!

Jan 28        Flight at 5:31; flew to lower branch in same tree, then east toward us and across the front yard north toward the school; no pellet today

Jan 27        Flight at 5:30. Her usual flight plan was disrupted as her tree was heavy with snow. She waddled down the branch about 8 feet before flying to a lower branch and then taking off; 1 pellet

Jan 26        Flight at 5:35; flew to a lower branch, then west across the street over to the oak grove; 1 pellet

Jan 25        Flight at 5:27; flew east right over me and Eric; 1 pellet in afternoon

Jan 24        Flight at 5:27 (early — it was dark and stormy); flew east right over me, 3 feet over my head; 1 pellet in afternoon

Jan 23        8 a.m. She’s back! After a two-week absence, she’s in her regular roosting spot!

                 6 p.m. Most AWESOME owl encounter to date. She flew at 5:32 p.m. to a lower branch, then east (in the same direction as the previous three times): down the driveway to a branch over the Smith’s yard. At 5:42 she swooped about 6 feet lower, we heard a scuffle, then she returned to the branch with a big rat in her talons. She flew a little higher with the rat in her mouth; took 10 minutes to eat it. This was all very visible as she was silhouetted against the sky. Apparently not done hunting for the night, she flew off at 6 p.m. toward the west.

Jan 8        8 a.m., she was not in her tree for the first time since she was first spotted! (Is she in the nest box? Has she gone to look for a mate and will be back?)

Jan 7        Flight at 5:17; 1 pellet in the a.m.; another in the afternoon; again she flew east directly at us, right over our heads, and across the backyard

Jan 6        Flight at 5:15; she flew east directly at us, right over our heads, and landed in a tree about 15 feet up

Jan 5        Nest box is installed! Snow is forecast for tonight. Flight at 5:14; she flew east right by us, over our house, and right past the nest box; 1 pellet in evening.

Jan 4        Flight at 4:59 (it was very dark and stormy); flew northwest through the Brians’ covered porch to a high tree in the oak grove; 1 pellet in the a.m.

Jan 3        Dropped 1 pellet at 5:12; pooped at 5:13; flight at 5:14 to lower branch in same tree; 5:18 flew west to oak grove across the street

Jan 2        Flight at 5:09; flew south to Vicki’s tree, back to Smiths’, swooped low over our yard (chickens were out!), paused in our Horse Chestnut tree, then took off; 1 pellet with foot sticking out

Jan 1 Flight at 5:07; flew northeast across our yard and over Wings’ house

Field Notes: December 2007

Dec 31          Flight at 5:05; across Brians’ yard and beyond; 1 pellet

Dec 30          Flight at 5:07; to telephone pole

Dec 29          Flight at 5:10; to English’s tree, top of Carol’s house, then beyond; 1 pellet

Dec 28          Flight at 5:05; to phone pole

Dec 27          Posted Audubon Society notice re: ID

Dec 26          1 pellet

Dec 23          1 pellet

Dec 21          1 pellet

Dec 18          1 pellet

Dec 10          showed up in tree