We have a new feathered mousetrap in our backyard! Last week Andy took out the trash in the evening after it was dark and noticed one of our bird feeders was swinging back and forth violently, as if something big had just jumped off of it. Thinking it was some raccoon coming out for a mid-hibernation snack, we didn't give it much of a second thought.
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Then yesterday I got home from work about 5:15 and as I pulled up the driveway there was a big Barred Owl sitting on the feeder. He didn't move as I parked about 10 feet from him, so i sat in the car and watched him for 20 minutes. Twice he heard a little "rat-bastard" (as Andy would say) under the snow and pounced to the ground. Both times he was unsuccessful but he flew back up and kept listening. When Andy pulled in at 5:30 with Aiden in the back seat, the owl still kept sitting there like it was no big deal that two cars full of staring people were right in front of him. Finally we had to get out of the cars and he flew off, but not too far because an hour later he was back at his perch. We figure he must be having some success hunting for rodents attracted to fallen feeder seed, or he wouldn't keep coming back.
I think we'll name him Mauser II.
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Then yesterday I got home from work about 5:15 and as I pulled up the driveway there was a big Barred Owl sitting on the feeder. He didn't move as I parked about 10 feet from him, so i sat in the car and watched him for 20 minutes. Twice he heard a little "rat-bastard" (as Andy would say) under the snow and pounced to the ground. Both times he was unsuccessful but he flew back up and kept listening. When Andy pulled in at 5:30 with Aiden in the back seat, the owl still kept sitting there like it was no big deal that two cars full of staring people were right in front of him. Finally we had to get out of the cars and he flew off, but not too far because an hour later he was back at his perch. We figure he must be having some success hunting for rodents attracted to fallen feeder seed, or he wouldn't keep coming back.
I think we'll name him Mauser II.
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This isn't our owl, just a copyright-free Barred Owl photo. It looks just like him though!
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