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

 

Still A Chance?

Good evening Salt and Pepper fans. Today is Wed. April 24th, because of the events last night, Salt and Pepper have given us more to ponder! True to form, the night before was a total bust! Ha - on Tuesday night, cam was on at 10pm and not one owl the whole night. Isn't that just typical of them...sigh.

Giving you a quick summary of last night - video included:
This time I was late and the live stream was up early! I started at 8:30pm, no owls at this time. Salt arrived at 9:31pm and Pepper at 9:39. Salt goes in the box at that time and really puts up a noisy ruckus, while partner seems to be ignoring him. 9:43 hear a low screech from Pepper. Out of the box at 9:48. A loud screech from Pepper is heard at 9:55 and goes to roof.

Later at 4:32am, both are here. 4:39am back into the box, 4:50 out of box. 4:57am Pepper goes to her usual close to the box spot and Salt arrives and they mate!! We haven't seen 
 that for a while now!! At 5:01 both are gone....

One time they mated. Twice Salt inside the box! Does this mean they haven't started a clutch elsewhere? Is it possible they may still have a clutch at the Nicasio Owl Box? Stay tuned for the  - 'Rest of the Story' 

Watching and Waitting

These owls really mess with us! Confusing is just one way to describe this situation. Will they still lay eggs? Have they already started a clutch; perhaps nearby and still keep an eye on the owl box? Are the Great Horned Owl's too close for comfort? Is weather a factor? Is the rodent population under control? Are Salt and Pepper perhaps getting to old? 

Some of these questions were answered on past posts; the majority we are still trying to get a handle on. Just when you think perhaps you have an answer, one or both of them do something that makes you question it all over again! (As you will read about on Thursday nights post). All in all, I suppose the best thing to do is just wait and see how it all progresses. Ha, like we really have a choice!
 

4/20-21/13: Saturday night:


Cam on at 9:20pm = Nothing to see until
12:45am - Pepper on side branch (about the middle)
12:48am - she gives a low hiss sound
1:07am - it looked like she went after something but
1:07am - she is back on side branch (at attention) and 
 closer to the box.
1:13am - she takes off.
2:46am - I hear the GHOwl's - not very close!
3:47am - Salt is on the side branch and gone at 3:48am.






4/19-20/13: Friday night:
No live stream - cam was not on all night - hmm did someone just 'hiss'?

 

4/18-19/13: Thursday night (This is why the 'hiss' for Friday night)

9:47pm - cam on and Salt is on side branch
11:07pm - he goes into the owl box!! looks around and sits on inside perch looking out. No calling or anything.
12:02am - he is out of box and on side branch again.
12:39am - Pepper joins Salt on side branch
1:08am - Something grabs their attention towards back of school and both take off.
1:30am - Salt returns to side branch; hear the GHowl's in distance - Salt seeming to keep an eye/ear on them. From 3:09 to 4:16 Salt comes and goes.
4:18am - He shows up on side branch with a nice fat gopher! Takes his time looking around (almost waiting) and at 4:20am he takes off with it (towards the back of the school building)! 
4:50am - Pepper is here, on side branch, at 5:04am hear a screech in the background, Pep answers back.
5:22am - she's off.... 
 

Two Nights Posted

4/17-18/13: Wednesday night 

Cam on at 11:40pm.
2:54am Salt lands on side branch - He's just chillin and preening
3:43am Pepper decides to say 'hello' and lands on side branch next to Salt.
3:52am Ms. Pepper is 'poof' out of here...she stayed 8 minutes
4:31am Mr. Salt says 'enough sitting around' and off he goes.
Still hear the GHowl's but very faintly.

4/16-17/13: Tuesday night

Cam on at 9:50pm
nothing until 1:03am when Salt lands on his favorite spot on the side branch
1:08am Salt brings up a pellet - video below - watch really close and listen,
you can hear it hit the ground!!
1:10am Salt leaves....No pepper all night.

Old Roosting Branch Used Again

 Very late on this, so I am going to just give the facts:

12:51am - Pepper is on side branch, Salt arrives and sits next to her (both is the old spots the used to use)

12:58am - Pepper leaves. She was here for (7min)
 1:10am - Pepper is back and lands next to Salt, she only stays for 2 minutes.
1:14am - Salt moves to front branch - 1:16am he's gone.
1:17 to 1:19am - Salt back on fr. branch
2:21 to 2:27am - again it's Salt
nothing after that until:
4:21am - can hear the GHOwl's again. but Salt 
comes to the side branch and keeps an eye out in
the direction of the Great Horned's
4:32am - hear a loud screech and Pepper arrives
on side branch next to Salt.
4:40am - Salt takes off with a screech and seems
to chase something.
4:44am - Pepper leaves. Stayed for 8 min.
At 5:28am I hear the Great Horned Owls and
no other sightings or sounds from Salt and
Pepper.........
                                                                                            

What's Happening?

We have been trying to figure out what's going on at the Nicasio Owl Box. Posts have been made on the facebook page, I have decided to copy and paste those here; followed by my findings so far. 

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• 

  DeeDee Fabris Did they nest somewhere else and just stop by????

  
  
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  Karen Resch Seems like odd behavior - no clutch this season?

  
  
• 

  Bonnie Zedonis DeeDee I am wondering the same thing. will post more later. I am going to repost from Anne Ardillo, below this. (If I can)

  
  
• Anne Ardillo Hi all, from the little we are hearing, seems like S&Ps lack of egg laying is typical this year..few reports of owls in boxes although we have lots of boxes so this may not represent the whole picture. Great Horned Owl nests seem to be down this year as well.

  
  
• Anne Ardillo We had a dry January and February but that's not too strange..some late rains in March and April..not unusually warm or cold as far as I can tell. The people who are monitoring nests further North in Sonoma and Napa counties said the hawks are doing fine, some on eggs, others just starting, fewer Great Horned Owl nests this year. I don't know anyone doing prey analysis so its hard to tell what the rodent population is doing. One thought, if you are sure this is S&P, she may be too old although you all probably have stats on the oldest Barn Owl breeding and it MAY not be Pepper at all??? I wish I could give you more definitive answers. I will probably go and stick a camera in one of our long standing productive boxes and see what's up. It does feel a bit empty not having them to watch.

  
  
• 

  Bonnie Zedonis It was very windy last night April 15th, Salt was here at 9:23pm for 8 min. and that was it for the whole night!

  
  
• 

  Anne Ardillo Hi Bonnie, another thought is they may be using another box/cavity/building ledge since there are a few in the area. (esp if we stop seeing Pepper)

  
  
• 

  Bonnie Zedonis Thank you Anne. Was wondering about this. Especially since the last few times Pepper was seen, she would stay for a short time. Yesterday was the longest. They have been mating once or twice on the nights seen together here. I am going to check my notes and see what I can figure out. Get back to all in a bit.

   

   

  Okay more was posted but the above was most pertinent I think. Everything normal as far as courtship, etc: except Pepper removing rodents from the box! Now here are my findings:

   

  3/18/13: - Salt with first gift in the box, a gopher - BUT Pepper leaves the nest with it!

  3/18/13 - Salt delivers another gopher at 6:23am (PST) but Pepper never showed up. Next night Salt removes said gopher from box. They mated 17 times (7 of them in the box)

  - After this Pepper spends time in the box, Salt delivers rodents and she consumes them. 

   

  3/23/13 Salt delivers a gopher to her, while she is inside the box; he leaves and she follows with gopher in beak.

   

  3/27/13: Pepper spends day IN the box - but something makes her bolt out of the box @ 2:05pm.

  She did return that night and everything back to normal. Lot of mating, etc. Pepper no longer stays during the day!!

   

  3/29-30/13: We hear GHO's pretty close - once they moved away Salt came by, Pepper did not.

  3/30-30/13: GHO's (female close by) Salt shows up after they move on, but Pepper doesn't

   

  3/31-4/1/13: Salt is here and Pepper shows up for 15 minutes. - Later she returns for 7 min.

   

  4/2-3/13: No owls

  4/3-4/13: No live stream

   

  4/4-5/13: Salt here twice: total 12 min. Pepper does NOT show up

  4/5-6/13: GHO's in distance S&P @ 12:30am - Pepper stays for 22 min. - Returns @ 2:35am and she stays for approx. 1hour (mating once) She seems to be chasing something away the last two nights.

   

  4/6-7/13: 7:52pm hear the GHO's - No owls till 1:33am (Salt) and he chases something. 2:30am Pepper here and they mate two times, she stays for 1hour and 20min. She returns at 5:03am, stays for 9 min.

   

  4/7-8/13: - 8:48pm Pep here (mate) - 3 min. stay

  4/8-9/13: - 12:45am Pepper (mate) - 4 min. stay

  4/9-10/13: GHO's heard, mostly in distance almost all night. Salt comes after they move out at 12:10am Pepper here for 1 min. She returns at 1:43, they mate, she stays 13 min. and again at 3:09am for 5 min.

  
  

  4/10-11/13: Very Windy...No owls all night

  4/11-12/13: No Live stream video

  4/12-13/13: Salt here, Pepper arrives at 12:07am, she stays 7 min. returns at 12:55am (they mate) she stays 50 min., again at 3:11am stays for 1hour and 40 min.

  
  

  4/14-15/13: Windy and gusty - Salt here at 9:23 for 5 min. and nothing after that for the night.

   

  Salt was here more than what I posted, I was just wanting you to know the times that Pepper spent here.

  
  

  Is Pepper possibly nesting somewhere else nearby??

   

   

   

   

   

Oy Vie!

 These owls just won't let you get a handle on them! Going on Friday night, thinking, hey, maybe things are going back to normal... then comes Saturday night! What the heck .... Okay, so it's a little windy out but cripes exactly three sightings only. Those I must say were actually nothing to write a blog about!! Just for giggles and to keep all of you guessing as well..I am posting this. Salt at 2:47am - gone at 2:48. 5:05am Salt is on front branch, he be chillin, but at 5:16am off he goes with a loud screeeeech. Hey, thought that was it for the night, when at 5:22am who arrives? Nope, sorry haven't seen Pepper all night! It's Salt again, this time he stays until 5:42am. Oh well, perhaps tonight Pepper will also grace us with her loveliness ♥

Together Again

4/12-13/13: Friday night, it's been a while since Salt and Pepper have spent any amount of time at the owl box together. I have seen mostly Salt with Pepper stopping by maybe once or twice a night for only a short time. Last night was a bit different: Salt on side branch at 12:06am and a minute later Pepper arrives on the front branch, Salt greets her with a few tongue clicks. At 12:09 she goes to the roof, 12:14 she is off with a screech. Okay only a fourteen minute stay, but she comes back with Salt later and they are both on the side branch, like old times! See the video, she was here for around 23 minutes. Pepper later comes back by herself at 2:16am to 2:43am. At 3:11am Pepper arrives on front branch, moves to her spot on side branch; 3:26 and 3:31am she gives out two screech calls. Salt hasn't been around since the 12:55am visit. Pepper stayed until 4:56am and did one more stop and go at 5:06am. That was it for the night, so nice to see them together though, had one mating session even. Even nicer to see more of Pepper again ♥

 

Stop Poisons!!

Please watch and share the video from R.A.T.S. (Raptors Are The Solution). You will find it on the left side of this page.