[mou] owls in boxes...

[bill lane]

hi all,

during a nest box check today, i found four newly hatched boreal owlets (oldest about a week old), surrounded by 13 voles (mostly red-backed, with a couple of meadow voles thrown in for "culinary diversity").  the boreal owl box i checked yesterday had one newly hatched owl and three eggs "on deck".  i put a couple of pictures on my website that is linked below.  also, i checked 4 saw-whet nests this afternoon and although none have hatched, three of the nests had 6 eggs and one had 4. i still have a number of saw-whet boxes to check, but it is looking like a banner spring for owls in northeast minnesota. of course, i would like a few more boreal nests, but trust me...i am not complaining.

i think my knees will get me through the summer.

bill    

owlman@mindspring.com
www.mindspring.com/~owlman