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Owl Box

Project by RobS posted 871 days ago 618 views 1 time favorited 12 comments Add to Favorites Watch

Okay, so I gave a hoot…

Strolling through my woods one day I spotted a fallen hackberry tree, not surprising as these are certainly not the strongest trees of the bunch. Looking closer I noticed that a knot hole had a little empty space behind it. Having my last Screech owl box taken over by honey bees, so much so that the weight of three seasons of honey and bees finally pulled it from its roost, I thought I could cut a new owl box from this fallen log.

Bow saw in hand, I cut a section out of the log leaving the knot hole in the middle. Then with chisel and mallet began to chip away at the not so solid wood in the center and after some time had the piece completely hollowed out. I then selected which end would be the top and cut it off at a slant. Closed off the top and bottom with cedar, added bark to the top for a more natural look and placed two wires around to help prevent splitting.

Now all I need is a newlywed pair or owls to move in, rent free, or, well it is 2007, I guess they can just be friends, living together…

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX


12 comments so far

View Bob Babcock's profile

Bob Babcock

1808 posts in 986 days


posted 871 days ago

LOL…in 2007 they can both be males in Massachusetts.

Nice nesting box…

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

View WayneC's profile (online now)

WayneC

6074 posts in 997 days


posted 871 days ago

Great project. Like Don says. He likes small boxes. I like birds and bird houses. In our court yard at work we have a family of wild turkeys that are around all of the time and a nest with a couple of baby hawks in it. Owls would be a nice addition.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View Don's profile

Don

2590 posts in 1076 days


posted 871 days ago

Yep this qualifies as a small box, and I just love small wooden boxes.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14188 posts in 1060 days


posted 871 days ago

and just like that you created a home.
Nice

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View RobS's profile

RobS

1244 posts in 1206 days


posted 871 days ago

Thanks everyone, not sure I’d consider it small, its 10”-12” in diameter and 18”-20” tall. Thanks for looking and commenting.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View Bill's profile

Bill

2561 posts in 1061 days


posted 871 days ago

It looks like another Garden category entry. Good work Rob.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

View frank's profile

frank

1503 posts in 1105 days


posted 869 days ago

Hi Rob;
—-ha!....an-other box builder and building great homes for grand screeching owls!

This is great Rob; a good story to go along with the ‘owl box’, now you have started a telling trail of history. Do you usually walk the woods with bow saw in hand….?

One more question, whatever happened to that honey?

And then here I go again….at the size you mentioned here, one could have found some-one to put the box on and give us a description of ‘inside looking out’! And then you said; “I’m not sure I’d consider it small”....of course not, it’s all-ways bigger down in Texas!
Thank you.
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

View RobS's profile

RobS

1244 posts in 1206 days


posted 868 days ago

Thanks Frank! Not always with the bow saw, on that particular day yes, was out looking for osage orange wood.

As far as the honey, I have no experience with collecting it and perhaps would have tried if the old owl box wasn’t 20 – 25 feet off the ground. I actually took the old box down after the first bee season, took it all apart, cleaned it all out, turned the wood inside out and put the box back together. That very next spring I learned that bees actually return to the site based on the smell of the old hive. Thus the bees won and the old owl box was theirs to keep.

When the old box finally surrendered and fell to the ground, I salvaged what wood I could, made my wife a coat rack, and used some more on the next project that I will post, for the garden project challenge.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View mot's profile

mot

4904 posts in 936 days


posted 867 days ago

That’s awesome, Rob! Have saw, will hike!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View scottb's profile

scottb

3402 posts in 1227 days


posted 858 days ago

good to hear that the Bees are surviving in some parts of the country….

great find… too bad you can’t go strolling through my woods,... not without rappelling gear… I bet there’s some good finds back there too.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

View trifern's profile

trifern

7897 posts in 667 days


posted 552 days ago

Great project. It looks like a great home. Have you had any takers yet?

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

View RobS's profile

RobS

1244 posts in 1206 days


posted 551 days ago

Thanks Tri… So far just squirrels….not to sure how to evict them either… figured if an owl wants it bad enough he can do the evicting….Thanks again.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

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