This is our first year with the barred owl cam. Owlguy has apparently put up several boxes and is streaming during the nesting season.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/owlguy

We watched the female in the box tonight. She was testing out the fluff and got a treat from the male. If she stays on the egg laying schedule she's been on for the last few years, she should lay her eggs within the next couple of weeks!

I videoed a few minutes of her in the box, too.

Posted info from this morning's chat:

Zitat

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Grandad_Rufus: This pair have been on the property for 8 years, though the male has been there longer.
8:23 Grandad_Rufus: This nestbox is in a Slash Pine tree at a height of about 15 ft The Cedar Wood Chips are 2 to 4 inches deep
8:25 Grandad_Rufus: During courtship, mated pairs perform a riotous duet of cackles, hoots, caws and gurgles.
8:25 toestwo: how funny
8:28 Grandad_Rufus: Barred Owl calls http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5zc-NHIipw

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Last night I asked the location of this nest and Ken said it was near Lake Okeechobee NW of Indiantown Florida. He also posted these links to give some history of this nest box.

https://sites.google.com/site/barredowlsite/history

http://owlwatch.org/

I snipped a few pics from this morning, too.

New video from Paul Yorke. I thought it was so odd to see a food drop in the daytime!

Barred Owl food drop Dec 29, 2013 839AM

Patti, I'm stretching my memory to try and remember what you taught us about owl eyes. There are differences in the golden-eyed owls like the GHO and the dark-eyed owls like barred owls and barn owls. Patti or Pop? Anyone?

R4 this might be what you're thinking about. I read this article a long time ago and have never been able to find anymore information about it anywhere else. Maybe somebody else will run across more about this. You have a very good memory!

The Eye Colors of Owls

The different color of owls' eyes do more than help you identify the species. Eye color seems to be an indicator of when the owls prefer to hunt, whether it's at night, during the day or in the soft light of dawn and dusk. Regardless of eye color, owls tend to have excellent eyesight and the ability to see in the dark.

Owl Eyes

Instead of being round, like human eyes, owl eyes are longer and more tube-shaped. This lets more light in so owls can see better in the dark. The shape restricts the movement of the eyes, however; instead of moving their eyes side to side like a human can, owls must turn their heads to see to the sides. They have adapted to stationary eyes by being to turn their heads up to 270 degrees.

Eye Color and Activity Times

Although not accurate with every owl species, eye color tends to indicate what time of day the owls prefer to be active. There are always exceptions, but most owls hunt around the same time as other owls with the same color eyes, according to Raptor Rescue, a bird-of-prey rehabilitation charity. The link is not fully understood but it's pretty reliable: Species eye color correlates to daily activity periods.

Orange Eyes

Most owls that sport orange eyes are active around dawn and dusk, which is known as being crepuscular. These owls, such as the Eurasian eagle owl and the great horned owl, can be found around the world. Large owls, often up to about 22 inches long, they hunt prey such as mice, rabbits and birds. The great horned owl is populous in the United States and is common even in urban areas.

Dark Brown or Black

Owls that have dark brown or black eyes typically are nocturnal, which means they prefer to hunt at night. The dark color doesn't help the owls see in the dark, but it might help camouflage them better than brighter-colored eyes. Owls with dark eyes, such as the northern spotted owl, barred owl and barn owl, follow the trend of hunting at night, although they are sometimes seen out in daylight, especially on cloudy days. According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, barn owls can even catch prey in total darkness by using their hearing to help.

Yellow Eyes

Yellow eyes often appear on owls who are diurnal -- they prefer to hunt during the day. The great gray owl, topping out at about 30 inches long, is an example of a diurnal owl with yellow eyes. In addition to excellent eyesight, these birds can hear mice or other small rodents moving beneath the snow and swoop down to grab them with their talons. Short-eared owls are a bit smaller, about the size of large crows, but they are powerful hunters during the day.

Link: http://animals.pawnation.com/eye-colors-owls-5412.html

In a surprise move the Barred Owl laid her first egg early this morning somewhere between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.!!!!!! WOOHOO!

Mom finally got up so we could see her egg. Several times during the day when I was watching we got treated to Dad calling and Mom answering back to him. Who Cooks For Youuuuuuu!!!! AWESOME!

This is a great opportunity to have a looks at an owl that is not a BO or a GHO. She has the purtiest eyelashes . Dad seems to be a great provider. I can see why OwlGuy is spending so much time watching them.

Link to Owlguy's blog....
http://owlguyy.blogspot.com/

Listen to these sweet little voices on these videos. This is a food drop by Mr. Barred Owl. Paul Yorke (owlguy) gives us the internal and external view.

Here is the history of egg-laying and hatches at the barred owl nest posted by mod MIBlue1:

4:00 MIBlue1: OK - starting with 2010....
4:00 MIBlue1: 2010: Egg 1 laid 25 Jan & Egg 2 laid 29 Jan / Egg 1 hatch 26 Feb & Egg 2 hatch 1 Mar
4:01 MIBlue1: 2011: No Nest (she went in but nothing happened, no egg)
4:01 MIBlue1: 2011: No Nest (she went in but nothing happened, no egg)
4:01 MIBlue1: 2012: Egg 1 laid 11 Jan & Egg 2 laid 16 Jan / Egg 1 hatch 11 Feb & Egg 2 hatch 16 Feb
4:02 MIBlue1: 2013: Egg 1 laid 5 Jan & Egg 2 laid 8 Jan / Egg 1 hatch 5 Feb (Wallace) & Egg 2 hatch 8 Feb (Gromit)
4:02 MIBlue1: 2014: Egg 1 laid 30 Dec, 2013 (early morning) that's all so far

Some videos from Paul Yorke

Published on Jan 9, 2014 by Paul Yorke
Mr. Barred Owl hunting near the nest.



I also just copied this from one of their mods in chat.

6:03 hollybczzi: I just read up on egg development, and am amazed that the little owlet is already quite formed. Apparently they always lie on their left side inside the egg and eventually tuck their beak under their
6:03 hollybczzi: right wing. Who knew?

Couple of new vids from Paul Yorke

Published on Jan 11, 2014
With four cameras, this year we get pretty good views on Mrs owl -



Published on Jan 11, 2014
Mrs Barred Owl hears Mrs Barred Owl in the area and knows he is bringing food, gets very excited and encourages him vocally. Listen to their verbal exchange.

Hatch watch begins Jan. 27th which marks the 28th day of incubation. Barred owl eggs hatch in 28-33 days. I can hardly wait to see this little baby owl! Fingers crossed.