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It's spring! The days are sunnier now, and though
we've had a few warm days, it looks warmer outside
than it really is. Reading to the children in the
quiet of the evening, we have been hearing owls in
the woods behind the house. At first we thought it
was our bird clock in the kitchen, gone haywire and
hooting midnight at 8:00, but soon we realized the
sound wasn't electronic, but real. We listen to them
for weeks before catching our first glimpse -- a Great
Horned Owl, in a standoff with a flock of crows.
Bird wars ensue!
The hollow at the top of the trunk provides a secure shelter for the babies. The ground around the tree is littered with down, and owl pellets are found here and there. For more information about Great Horned Owls, or to listen to their calls, click here.
Our Garden Journal is a production of The Parker Family. Copyright 1999, all rights reserved. |
Each day we scan the still-bare trees, searching for
signs of nesting. We're still hearing the calls of
the owls in the dark of the evening. Finally, we spot
their nest -- and a pair of owlets, resting on the top
of an old oak tree.
Crocuses
planted during our unusually mild January
thaw have poked their heads above the ground and
bloomed, and the hyacinth are beginning to sprout as
well. Bluebells nod their heads by the mailbox, and
the yellow forsythia is in full blaze. Roadside
daylilies are 6 inches high now, and the yarrow,
irises, columbine, and yellow sedum are all
coming along nicely in the back garden. The maiden
grass and fountain grass have been cut down, and are
showing 3-4 inches of new growth.