Inside a barn owl's nest box

[Kimby]

Molly and McGee have mated and Molly laid six eggs. The 6th is expected to hatch today.

This is a live camera inside her box with nighttime infrared and daytime color video 24/7. The microphone picks up owl sounds but also ambient sounds from up to 1/2 mile away.

www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

[Kimby]

This is what the host of the site says about it:

The Owl Box

Total views: 4,496,117

Date Laid and Time________Hatch Date___Name_____Time
Egg 1 2/13/10 12:15 PM____No Hatch_____No Name___No Time
Egg 2 2/16/10 07:23 AM____3/21/10_______Max_______11:45 PM
Egg 3 2/18/10 09:13 AM____3/23/10_______Pattison___06:47 PM
Egg 4 2/20/10 11:07 AM____3/25/10_______Austin_____03:11 PM
Egg 5 2/22/10 02:00 PM____3/28/10_______Wesley____12:01 PM
Egg 6 2/25/10 09:35 AM

This is a live feed of a wild mother barn owl that has just started setting on her eggs. The owl box is located in our backyard in San Marcos, CA and is 15 feet off the ground. She appears to be a first time mom. The owl is about 14 inches tall. She laid her first egg on February 13th. We are expecting owlets around mid to late March. Incubation is 30 to 34 days. owlets will hatch in order laid. Not all at one time like chickens.

The male has a white chest and face. He usually shows up after dark but has spent an entire day with the female. We have named the female Molly and the male McGee. The Barn Owl is widespread but usually a scarce species. They are strictly nocturnal and rarely observed in flight during daylight hours.

The owl house is located on a 15 foot pole and there is a tree just outside the opening. The box has been up for two years and it took two years before the owls showed up. No other birds have tried to nest in the box. We have a very eco-friendly backyard; we live on an acre lot with lots of trees and plants for wildlife. We have had kestrels, bluebirds, hummingbirds, phoebes, wild ducks, killdeer and mockingbirds all nest and raise their young in our habitat. We do not have any cats or dogs to disturb the wildlife. This is our first owl to nest here.

Female: 13 to 16 inches tall. Wingspan 43 inches
Male: 12 to 15 inches tall. Wingspan 42 inches

Camera Information
Logitech Orbit AF
Agama V-1325 R

Molly's Box Blog
mollysbox.wordpress.com/

For outside photos of The Owl Box, Molly and McGee:
www.ustream.tv/theowlbox2

Links to other web cams:
www.theowlbox.blogspot.com

Check out my facebook account: www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php ?id=100000803210356

Sign up for tweets and follow us. www.twitter.com/mollyowl

For More Information on Barn Owls
www.barnowltrust.org.uk/

For San Diego Real Estate
[e-mail]

Life Cycle Of Barn Owl tinyurl.com/yglwf60

Box is 15X30X22 inches Tall

[Deleted]

I only see one chick and he is annoying.

[Kimby]

The barn owls have hatched more owlets: www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

Date Laid ________ Hatch Date______Name
Egg 1 7/06/10 ____ 8/07/10 _______ Ashley
Egg 2 7/08/10 ____ 8/08/10 _______ Carrie
Egg 3 7/11/10 ____ 8/11/10 _______ Kelly 8/17/10 deceased
Egg 4 7/14/10 ____ 8/14/10________ Jody 8/21/10 deceased

The owl box is located in our backyard in San Marcos, CA. This is Molly’s second Clutch. Barn Owls are about 14 to 16 inches tall. Incubation takes 30 to 34 days. Owlets hatch in order laid.

The male has a white chest and face, while the female is more camouflaged and rufous in color with spots.. The male usually shows up after dark. We have named the female Molly and the male McGee. The Barn Owl is widespread and can be found in most parts of the world. They are mostly nocturnal and rarely observed in flight during daylight hours but light does not hurt or bother barn owls. They are often seen looking out during daylight hours on bright sunny days.

The owl house is located on a 15 foot pole and there is a mimosa tree just outside the opening but not once did the owls or the owlets land in the tree during the first clutch. They seem to prefer structures like tall poles, old buildings or fan palm trees. It took two years before the owls showed up after the owl box was installed.

No other birds have tried to nest in the box. We have a very eco-friendly backyard; we live on an acre lot with lots of trees and plants for wildlife. We have had kestrels, bluebirds, hummingbirds, phoebes, wild ducks, killdeer, and mockingbirds all nest and raise their young in our habitat. We do not have any cats or dogs to disturb the wildlife. We have identified 58 different birds in our backyard.

Owl Facts:
Female: 13 to 16 inches tall. Wingspan 43 inches
Male: 12 to 15 inches tall. Wingspan 42 inches
The Owl Box is 15X24X22 inches Tall
Camera Information
Logitech Orbit AF
Agama V-1325 R

[Deleted]

Fluffy critters!

[bixaorellana]

They are so un-birdlike! They really look like pompous men of the 19th century, walking around in their cutaway coats.

The Egyptian symbol Ba I think is supposed to be a hawk, but it always reminded me of a barn owl.

I'm surprised at how much inter-relating the chicks do -- they're almost like puppies.

[Kimby]

There were four in this clutch, but two died. The last clutch had 6 eggs, but only 4 hatched.

[Deleted]

A 'clutch' of owls? I wonder who invented these various terms.... pride, flock, herd, school...

[onlymark]

It's actually a clutch of eggs. A number of owls together is called a parliament.

[onlymark]

I love collective nouns. For example, an auk (bird like a penguin) - on land they are a colony, at sea they are a flock and on the water they are a raft.

What is the collective noun for a group of hippies?

SPOILER: Click to show

A stink

Gone too far off topic there, carry on please.

[Deleted]

In spite of my rural upbringing, I must have been playing video games when the terminology was discussed.

[onlymark]

You're just trying to trick us into thinking that there were video games when you were a kid when in reality they weren't even invented then.

[Deleted]

Damn! Unmasked!

[bixaorellana]

Kerouac and childhood friends, "playing video games"

I clutched my heart with joy over the fun collective nouns.

Back to topic: right this minute they're huddled together in one corner, an amorphous wad of fluff, emitting the occasional >chuck<.

[komsomol]

There is a talking man and no owls?

[Kimby]

The (rightfully) proud host of the owl nest box web cam occasionally makes an appearance...

[gertie]

so much cwootness -*swoon*-

[tod2]

Aw shucks, I missed them! Maybe I should show you my pet Kites & their chicks? Not as sophisticated with a camera in their nest but still cute.

[tod2]

The owl might be gone but I have had great delight in watching the little Humming bird make a nest and at the moment she is sitting on eggs again! (It's pitch dark and the little darling is sleeping Looks like a fluffy ball)