Near our home and nursery, a young couple built a new home several years ago. They have an adorable little 3 year old girl named Rosa. An old (all owls look old to me) barred owl has been hooting in, and around a large sweetgum in front of their house for at least 2 months. Rosa loves to show us her owl, who she named Grandalh, which sat high up in the sweetgum. A few days ago Grandalh turned up with a big surprize - a partner, which Rosa has yet to name. Guess that was what Grandalh was hooting for!

Rosa's dad took this photo, which I thought worth sharing.

Ned

Nice! I talk to the barred owls often around this time of year--they help me make the turkeys gobble. They can make some wierd noises when they get to fighting over territory.

A few days ago this guy appeared in the neighborhood. As you can see, it has not lost all of it's down yet. He (or she) has not learned to fear humans yet, and will let you get within a few feet - just sits and eyeballs you. Of course mom and pop do some fly bys, if they think you are getting too close. It has been seen on several occasions over the past few days.

AWWWWW!!!!! baby is soooo cute!!! mom and pop too..
I had owls in my sweet gum trees.. I miss them since the sweet gum were taken down.. But I have chickadees nesting in the trunk of one.. I left the trunk with plans to make a totem pole out of it.. Now it is Chickadee habitat So I'll leave it for now till they are well rooted in and incorp them in to the design.. I miss the sweet gum shade.. but NOT those stinkin Sweet gum balls!!! OUCH!!!!!!!
It looks like they just sat there waiting to pose for you to take a pic of them.. very cool!!!

Gina *BabyBlue*

Interesting BB. I am almost alone in liking sweetgums. The burrs are a pain, but they contain seeds that a eaten by many species of birds. I have a seedlless (burrless) variety in my front yard is now about 30' tall, and is getting to be a decent shade tree.

Ned

I love owls, that baby is a cutie. He's so fuzzy! Great pic's thanks for sharing!