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Owl Box

Project by RobS posted 512 days ago 403 views 1 time favorited 12 comments Add to Favorites
Owl Box Owl Box Owl Box Click the pictures to enlarge them

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

1807 posts in 626 days


posted 512 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

WayneC

5684 posts in 637 days


posted 512 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

2586 posts in 717 days


posted 512 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.canterburybaptist.org/

View MsDebbieP's profile (online now)

MsDebbieP

12282 posts in 701 days


posted 512 days ago

and just like that you created a home.
Nice

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View RobS's profile

RobS

1127 posts in 846 days


posted 512 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

2524 posts in 701 days


posted 512 days ago

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

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

View frank's profile

frank

1420 posts in 746 days


posted 510 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

1127 posts in 846 days


posted 508 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

4863 posts in 576 days


posted 507 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

3064 posts in 867 days


posted 498 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://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

View trifern's profile

trifern

5051 posts in 307 days


posted 192 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

1127 posts in 846 days


posted 192 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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