My Barn Owl Photos

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=82 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Bill Spurlock</B></FONT><B> </B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>My Barn Owl Photos</B><B> <A NAME="owl_photos"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> Several years ago I began making and installing barn owl nest boxes on and around our property, a small organic fruit orchard in northern California.  We had terrible gopher problems at the time, and wanted to encourage owls for natural rodent control. Owls would occasionally nest in a hollow oak tree nearby, so I felt that additional nesting sites would help establish a local colony. Given the declining number of barns and large old trees with hollow nesting cavities, it turns out that nest boxes are a sure way to encourage owls to live and breed in an area.</div> <bR> <div> After a couple of years barn owls began using our boxes for daytime roosting and for nesting. As a result, our gopher problems have gone from out-of-control to insignificant. Last spring (2005) we had a bumper crop of new owls with two boxes producing five owlets each and another producing seven. This spring several of the boxes are occupied, and I'll be monitoring the boxes for signs of nesting activity.</div> <bR> <div> I would strongly encourage anyone with rodent problems, or anyone just wanting to encourage owl populations, to  consider putting up a nesting box or two. Just Google "barn owl nest boxes" and you'll get a wealth of information. </div> <bR> <div> Photography is another of my hobbies, and below are a few of the owl shots I've been able to get. I hope you enjoy them!</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="171b0440.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="324" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Spring 2005: Five young barn owls inside one of my nest boxes.</div> <div> Note the age difference - the mother lays an egg every day or two,</div> <div> but begins sitting after the first egg is layed, resulting in staggered</div> <div> hatching and quite an age difference among the chicks. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="172b0440.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="324" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Spring 2005: Another nest box with seven owlets.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="173b0440.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="324" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> A close up of the above nest. To take these shots, I waited </div> <div> until dark when the adults went out hunting, then climbed</div> <div> the tree and used a digital camera with flash.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="174b0740.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="372" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> With 7 owlets crowding the nest, the adults roosted in nearby trees</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="175b0510.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="337" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Here are four owlets in a nest inside a hollow oak tree branch . . .</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="178b03f0.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="319" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> and two weeks later the same four have changed dramatically.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="179b0440.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="324" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Here are two barn owls just shortly after hatching</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="17ab0610.jpg" border=0 width="432" height="353" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This adult peeks out of his box. I locate the boxes to give the owls</div> <div> as much privacy and safety as possible, but it is a geat joy to catch</div> <div> a glimpse of them using binoculars or a telephoto lens.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="17bd47a0.jpg" border=0 width="468" height="378" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Here a young owl takes his first tentative hop, about two feet</div> <div> from the nest opening to the end of the branch.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="17c40800.jpg" border=0 width="576" height="384" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Five young owls emerge from the nest, making food begging sounds and</div> <div> stretching their wings in preparation for their first tentative flights.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>