Western Screech Owl Debut

10:30am, 75 degrees, few small clouds with little wind

1. 2 eggs under a sleepy Elf Owl mother.
2. A new nest attempt by unknown Flycatcher. To be determined if Dusky-capped or Ash-throated.
3. 1 egg, 4 hatching downy young of Dusky-capped Flycatcher. Mother watching in nearby oak.
4. 4 eggs, 2 hatching downy young of the Eastern Bluebird. Mother watching from nearby oak.
5. 2 eggs, 3 downy hatching young of the Dusky-capped Flycatcher.
6. 5 eggs, no parents present of the Dusky-capped Flycatcher.
7. 1 egg, 4 hatching downy young of the finally noted nest activity of the I-stay-on-my-nest-no-matter-what female Eastern Bluebird.
8. 5 downy hatching young of the Ash-throated Flycatcher.
9. 5 partially feathered Eastern Bluebird nestlings sleeping peacefully. Father bluebird singing softly in nearby oak.
10. 1 egg, 4 downy hatching young of the Ash-throated Flycatcher. Mother noted flying after ciccada for the next meal offering.
11. No activity.
12. 5 eggs, mother Dusky-capped Flycatcher flushed from nest.
    
13. 5 eggs, female Eastern Bluebird flushed from nest.
14. 2 eggs showing from underneath wide awake and looking straight at you Elf Owl.
    
15. Cornell Lab nest cam. Acorn woodpecker on nearby food storage pole.
16. No activity of this year's new nest box station.
17. No activity of this year's new nest box station.
18. No activity of this year's new nest box location.
19. No activity of this year's new nest box location.
20. Removed 2 Eastern Bluebird eggs of failed nest attempt. Note # 13 as this is their new nest site.

As I was preparing to go to town at 1pm (Mountain Standard Time) the Curve-billed Thrasher was making what we know around the ranch as her snake and/or owl present call. Sure enough, I look up into the very large, old Gambel's Oak tree to the west of our back porch and there partially out of his/her cavity entrance is the Western Screech Owl. Every year that we have been monitoring our nest box trail we have enjoyed a family of Western Screech Owls in this tree. Present only for about 20 minutes today, while I loaded my car and not in the least bothered by my comings and goings. Of course, I was being dutifully quiet and respectful. This confirmed the location for the songs and calls I have been hearing for some time.

Mexican Jays were building a nest when last noted, but today a pair was feeding two fledglings. Mexican Jays of the same family group will share feeding and looking after the young. They are quite cooperative in fact, in so far as they will forego mate selection if there are already senior members of the family to mate and not enough territory or food for the other members. They do not want to have to move and find new habitat, so will wait their turn and work together. You will always hear their arrival much like a carful of your noisiest relatives, singing songs and honking the horn as they drive up. Mexican Jay songs sound like very squeaky, loud car brakes being repeatedly stomped on and off. The fledglings songs are the same, but held out on one long pitch with a very earnest quality to it. Always fun to watch and chuckle at their clumsy antics.

Bewick's wren pair has chosen a decorative, but functional (everything has to be around here and this one is fine, but not what I'd choose with all we have to offer) nest box on my front door! Why I haven't noted this in my last two blog posts is beyond me. Guess, I was concentrating on my 'official' nest stations. To catch you all up, there are three partially feathered young resting peacefully with parents heard calling in the fields surrounding the ranch.