In 2015, we were lucky enough to have been the home and nursery for a family of Great Horned Owls. It was such a joy to see two chicks fledge this spring after such a hard winter. Their parents must have mated sometime in late January or early February and mom sat on those eggs through frigid temperatures, wind, rain, and snowstorms keeping them at a steady temperature until it was time to hatch. Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) are marvelous creatures standing 18” to nearly 25” tall with a wingspan between 40” and 57”, and are top predators in our landscape. Seeing them is not always easy, as they are nocturnal. They hunt at night and rest motionless in trees by day.
Their plumage is cryptic; blending into the bark of a tree, so finding them during most of the year is a challenge. It is easier to spot them in early spring when they have chicks that need to be constantly fed. During this time they are actively hunting much of the day finding food for the hungry chicks. Our family was nesting right over the main trail from the parking area near the Post Office, but unless you knew exactly where to look, it was very hard to spot them. Usually a family will stay together for the summer, and then the parents will shoo the young ones away from home, and make them earn a living for themselves in a territory they can claim for themselves. Let’s hope this pair continues to make Frank Melville Memorial Park their home for many years to come. Also spotted flying by the park was a Screech Owl. What a treat!
For more information about these owls and other birds go to: http://www.allaboutbirds.org
