Thought I should talk just a little about our trip to the farm again.
Just a short post.
One day when my hubby was out mowing, he saw a snowy owl! Now this is not my picture, I borrowed it from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology .
And while they do not say it on their web site, I did a google search while we were headed in town and found an article that said the owls do sometimes come as far south as Louisiana and Georgia (so we didn't call any local bird groups about our sighting. Don't want people coming around when we're not there, after all).
I was in the house doing something or other so I didn't see it, and it happened so quick he didn't take a picture with his phone.
It flew out of the old barn when he was mowing, he said, so we definitely won't be tearing down that barn until we know for sure that the owl isn't coming around any more.
I know they are bad if you have animals, but all we have right now are mice and rats and they are more than welcome to them. ;-)
The other thing is that more than a few times, sometimes at night and sometimes in the early morning, in addition to the trains passing in the distance; we hear this really low "hoo-h'HOO--hoo-hoo."
I used the Cornell site to identify the sound. A Great Horned Owl.
This picture is also theirs, as we have yet to actually see the owls; I think it's neat. Might not think so when we have chickens, but right now, I think it's neat.
I have seen a fox around, too, so if an owl decides to eat a baby fox, I'd probably be okay with that, too. Don't know which might be worse when we have chickens. The fox or the owl.
I think we'll need a couple of roosters....
If I don't get on again to post before the New Year, I hope you all have a safe New Year's Eve; and may God Bless you all with a healthy and prosperous New Year. ♥
Hope you have a wonderful New Year!
ReplyDeleteMy grandpa played a mean joke on my mom and placed an owl (sculpture thingy) in their horse barn. I knew about it... no one else did. No one saw it there for like 3 weeks and I giggled every time I walked past it.
Nicole, thank you. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy goodness. What happened when they finally saw it??
LindaG - Happy new Year and I am pleased to hear that you have such wonderful creatures such as the Snowy owl and the Great Horned Owl in your vicinity - and I agree - "Shssssh!about it!" LOL! I once made the mistake of lauding to all about a great summer camping spot we found, so alone and beautiful, and the next year it was packed full of people who had heard of it!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, John, I can imagine you were almost devastated to find so many people there!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you! :-)
I agree with John -- keep your location on the down low. Especially if you are not there 24/7. There are some sneaky, dishonest people out there...
ReplyDeleteOwls are so necessary to the farm ecosystem. And besides, they are so cool looking.
Nancy, sad but true. And they are definitely cool looking!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI love to listen to the hoot of the owls around my little homestead. I never see them, only hear them. Hearing them makes me feel very grateful that I live in a place where I can appreciate them!
Thank you, Toni. :-)
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. Very grateful that I can hear them and know they have a good home.
It's been my experience that owls live where people aren't. They will probably leave when you move in. I'd place my worries on the fox (and they like eating roosters too). They are smart.
ReplyDeleteHope your New Year is an especially good one and full of plaid friends :-)
Sorry to hear that, CCC. I was just telling the hubby last night that I miss hearing them.
ReplyDeleteWill be sad when they move on.
Thank you. Hope you have a great New Year. And yes, much plaid to you. :-)
I would have been sorry to miss seeing the owl; even though I don't want one around here. Have a Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Becky. You, too. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! We have an Owl around here..I hear him in the summer when the windows are open at night. I think you may have Owls because the is the food supply is good, we live across from Agricultural fields..and where we live is wooded..so that is their home. My biggest worry around Owls is cats and rabbits..:)
ReplyDeleteWe live near a lot of farm fields, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd we have some wonderful trees on our property, so maybe we’ll be lucky (so to speak) and they’ll stay around.
We do have cats, so I’ll have to make sure the cats and the chickens are in at night.
Thank you. Happy New Year to you, too! :-)