FLY-BY-NITE REALTY

Here are a few more photos of this owl house….

-- Rick, south Sweden

This will surely be enjoyed by WHO WHOMEVER moves in. It sure looks heavy and durable. Very wise of you to plan for easy cleanout-this house could last a couple generations! I especially like the thoughtful gutter.

-- Rick, Tennessee, John 3:16

Cool Story!

Hope you win, the owls already are winners!

Lew

-- Lew- Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

Just have to ask, are those carved owls, or do you have a contact with the owl models association? We have
a pair of horned owls that visits the birch tree in front of our house in the fall to give us an impromptu concert, but they seem to prefer the river bottom as a habitat, can not really blame them. I can understand why people
like owls, even though we do not see them very much. Very nice idea and thank you for sharing.

-- As ever, Gus-the 74 yr young apprentice carpenter

Great story and a very nice owl house.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

how wonderful! – i guess you could not submit a cob brick model!
funny, i am submitting one under coincedence of a birthday request as well! – probably the only reason it will be on time; it is to be finished today – now!! That is so perfectly perfect! – glad you were coaxed to join in the themed gallery! It is a beautiful gift and thank goodness it facilitated your contribution to the birdhouse gallery!

-- christine

Ha ha ha… yeah Gus… wish I could claim that the owl babies were carved but they weren’t. You were correct with your latter addition, they came from the local owl models association, er… uh… the owl photoshop.

Rick, you noticed that it looks heavy and durable. Most of those I found on the internet are just that. They are generally pulleyed up into the tree (like 20 feet) on a rope and solidly bound at that point, through the support/binding rungs on the back (last picture). I’ve yet to attach the eye bolts to assist in the hoisting and attachment to the tree. Durability… ha ha…. I accidentally knocked it off the table (tight working space) and cringed as it hit the floor on one top edge. Didn’t do anything except impress the corner of the asphalt shingle about 1/8”. So it should definitely last many, many years. The Tawny Owl can live upwards of 20+ years and they are very territorial with about 1/2 square mile territory, so maybe we’ll have the same owl lady staying around for a good while.

Thanks all for your comments!

Oh… Christine, I actually thought about the cob brick model as a possibility, but it would have to be built on site and for the barn swallows, but they were already in the middle of their nesting. Their 2nd brood of babies just started flying early this week. Of course, if I did do the cob-house, Martin wouldn’t let me post it here because of media restrictions…. ha ha. I would have to post it on my ceramics forum website, but then those people aren’t as fun as the LJ’ers, they never have these fun competitions or friendly brouhaha. Look forward to seeing your entry! I know it’ll be good!

-- Rick, south Sweden

Wow, and more top notch competition. Great build.

-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--

(Sorry about the bonk over the head!!) haha

I love that window!!

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

Impossible not to smile, thank you.
Best thoughts,
Mads

-- Mad F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect. Democraticwoodworking.

Great birdhouse! The new residents look real excited over their new home. ;)

-- Regret- the feeling you get just after you do something really stupid.

very nifty idea. hope you get commission… :) good luck in the build

-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Kentuk55@bellsouth.net

With the advent of Autumn, I finally got the owl house hoisted up (about 6 meters) into the ‘ash’ tree next to the garden….

-- Rick, south Sweden

Now we will cross our fingers for a owl.
Looking nice.

-- Mad F, the fanatical rhykenologist and vintage architect. Democraticwoodworking.

So it was last Autumn (Oct. 2011) that I installed the owl’s house so that it would be available and seen by the time the Tawny Owl begins its nesting season (late February-mid March). I was mistaken on my posting above in regards to the variety of tree that the house is installed in… it is a large leafed Linden rather than an ash.

So here it is, the first Spring since installation and we have been very curious in wondering if we do in fact have a nesting owl. As they tend to be much more private than our other regular bird tenants, plus being nocturnal, it makes it a bit harder to witness any comings and goings until after the eggs have hatched and the mother begins hanging out in the neighboring trees during the daytime, watching and guarding her brood.

For two weeks now, we have been picking up slight clues hinting of habitation, ie., more frequent and regular night time ‘hooting’ from these trees (which is rare) and a small feather protruding from one of the bottom vent holes. Yesterday, my wife claims she saw the top of a head through the doorway as she went out to the compost bin. And this evening she claims the same, as she ran into the house all excited and almost hysterical.

I grabbed the binoculars and gazing out from the bathroom window I also witnessed the crown of a head and movement so I can truthfully say that, ‘Yes, we may now have our first brood of owlets happening.’ In about another 6 weeks we should be able to start glimpsing little owls as they pop up on their porch to check out the world. That is really exciting as we think they are really cool birds! I’ll add any verifying photos that I can capture when that possibility occurs.

-- Rick, south Sweden