Saturday & Sunday Night

4/27-28/13 Saturday night into Sunday morning:
It's 8:35pm and Salt is sitting on side branch. It's very quiet. Salt is watching the skies
9:29pm - Salt is hissing.
9:31pm - Pepper is here, next to Salt on side branch, at 9:35 she goes to the roof. Salt gives out 4 loud warning screeches at 9:44 to 10pm. Doesn't seem to bother Pepper, she goes to her spot on side branch close to owl box, turns around looking at side of box; and moves to branch below and starts pecking at the side of box (catching bugs?).
10:03pm - Salt screeches, this time he gets an answer (a screech from another owl) close by. It buzzes them. 10:22pm - Looks like Salt took off after (?). with a screech!  Pepper still here, but leaves at 11:25.
Salt returns at 11:44 on his spot. At 1:10am Pepper arrives, Salt attempts to mount her and it's a no go. He then goes to the roof. Pepper also goes to roof, and another failed attempt by Salt. He leaves at 1:23am (perhaps a bit embarrassed). Pepper stays on roof. Salt returns at 1:45 and we hear a bit of chittering. 1:58am Salt is at the doorway of box and proceeds to go in the box, Pep still on roof, and lets out a good loud screech! Salt busy running around inside box, peck at walls, and I believe wanting her to come in. Pepper totally ignores him..sigh (see video).

Salt leaves the box after 4 minutes.At 2:50am both are here again on roof and side branch. 5am Pep gone, then Salt. 5:07 Salt hissing at something, 5:10 Pepper next to him, by 5:25 both gone for the day.



4/28-29: Sunday night into Monday
9:24pm - Salt on side branch
9:28 - He lets out a loud Screech and off he goes at 9:33 with another screech
1:39am - Salt side branch again @ 3:34am he is looking to the sky and hissing.
This goes on until 4am when I hear flyby chittering at 4:01. Salt continues a few more hisses and gone at 4:20am.

4:33am - Pepper is on her spot close to side of box.
4:37am - Another flyby and chittering, Pepper hissing
4:40am - Pepper gone....

5:38am - We get a wake up call of Turkeys gobbling as they come down out of their roosts!!

    

A New Attraction?

I must first tell you that we did not have live streaming video Wednesday or Thursday night. 4/26-27/13, Friday night - oh my - I have said before Salt and Pepper are very entertaining; they keep us guessing, and last night we had an added attraction! I put together videos on what went on - they are long (that's why divided them). I wanted you to see how I came up with the following deductions. Originally I had 4 vids., decided to tell you instead about how it started.

cam on at 6:22pm (yay) It is windy at Nicasio
9:20 - Salt on side branch
9:26 - he gives a low screech
9:41 - gone with another low screech
11:02 - he's back and gone at 11:09
hearing distant screeches
12:07am - Salt on side br. and hissing (I can't see what he's hissing at) 
finally I hear very faintly another owl. It is making little chirp sounds, even a bit of chittering. Salt continues to give low hisses. (at the time I thought maybe Pepper)

Video 1:
12:33am - Pepper arrives on side branch (so I thought). Salt hissing at her and continues to for a bit. And yet ignores her. Seems strange to me. Finally I notice this isn't Pepper.
12:42am - Rogue goes to front branch and tries to go under sunroof, pulls back and falls, back up to branch on doorway. Salt goes to fr. branch, hissing and tongue clicking at her.
12:46am - Salt takes off and she behind him.
I say (female) because very dark chest and also because Salt may have hissed, but didn't chase her away. (Perhaps she wants to be his partner)

Video 2:
12:58am - Owl lands on side branch. It's the rogue.
1am - She flies to roof.
1:20 - she screeches 
1:21 - off with a screech
This owl doesn't have a leg band, so it is not from past clutches.
Rogue returns 3:09 to 3:14 and 3:16 to 3:19.

Video 3:
4:21 - Salt on side branch
4:55 - Other owl flies in, even though Salt doesn't make a ruckus about it. This owl looks like the rogue. It flies up to the roof and stays.
5:01 - Salt to front branch and then to the roof, next to her, almost looks like he's trying to push her away, and he almost falls off.
5:05 - Salt takes off (do they communicate enough for Salt to go and tell Pepper?)
5:08am - "Pepper" comes charging in and chases the rogue off the roof. It doesn't go far, I can hear it chittering in the background. Then nothing. Pepper remains on the roof until 5:14am
5:20 - Salt is back on his spot on side branch, but leaves at 5:21.

In conclusion: "my thoughts only" It looks like the owls around Nicasio still looking for partners and nest sites.

Of course I could be totally wrong about this whole night. Watch, read and you decide.

I have noticed in the past that the female seems to be the one to chase the other females away. Perhaps the males don't because of future partners? Here I go ramblin on again. I would like to know if Salt went and told Pepper about that female trying to take her man though...haha