After three years, my offering has finally paid off. When we moved to our current house, I put up several boxes for nesting birds. I climbed up a ladder to put up two small boxes for chickadees or titmice and one large box for a screech owl.

The first year, two English sparrows took up residence in the small boxes. Not okay with me. English sparrows are not native birds and are extremely aggressive. They have been known to build their nest on top of baby bluebirds.

As soon as I noticed the male sparrows checking out the boxes, I opened the side door to discourage them. Later that season, I closed them when I saw a chickadee checking out one of the holes in one of the boxes. Then my summer schedule hit and I got busy. I lost track and before I knew it, the sparrows were back and sitting on eggs. Bummer.

The second year, I kept the side door open. I’d rather no one use the box than provide nesting sites for the sparrows. In the big box though, a Gray Squirrel raised a litter. Not my intention, but okay.

Last year, no one used the boxes for some reason. I thought it was strange since in my area, suitable holes for cavity nesters are in short supply, but nature does strange things.

Two weeks ago, I was in the yard picking up my 20 millionth sweetgum ball. I noticed debris stuffed in the large box. I didn’t have my glasses on, so I assumed it was leaves and a gray squirrel had once again found the box as was raising another litter. I won’t lie I was a little disappointed. My neighbor told me she had a screech owl in her yard nesting for years. She had no idea what an amazing thing it is. What an honor in my mind. She was so off handed, I really wanted to scream at her.

Anyway, back to the over zealous squirrel with the leaves in the box. I thought I saw the leaves move, but since I didn’t have my glasses, I attributed the illusion to just that, my eyes playing tricks. But I went in to get my glasses just in case. I’m such the optimist, so you can imagine my surprise when this is what I saw.

This is an Eastern Screech Owl, cinnamon phase. Screech owls come in two phases, gray and cinnamon. I am so excited about my owl. I’ve become somewhat obsessive. I check to make sure s/he is still there and when I don’t see it, I become melancholy. I haven’t seen my owl in a few days, but the other birds seem especially tense and chatty around the box, so I’m hoping it is a female sitting on a nest and is just hunkered down.

From what I’ve been able to determine, the male and female share the cavity and at night, he hunts and feeds her while she sits. I have only seen one owl, but I’m holding out hope.

Stay tuned for more owl progress. Same owl time, same owl channel.

So, here it is, early spring. The birds have just started their territory songs, frogs will start to sing soon and snow birds will return. But right now, hiding patiently are animals that have been here all winter. They’ve endured the amazing snow falls, sheltered themselves from the gusting winds and 33 degree rains; wrapped in their natural blankets, waiting. You probably never noticed them, or mistook them for dead or damaged leaves, but they are there, waiting.
I’m not describing some mysterious creature that sits in wait for unsuspecting victims. I’m talking about certain insects that are dormant through the winter, but soon will wake to begin a new life.

Many insects such as certain butterflies, beetle larva, moths, and others, over-winter as a pupa or adult. When temperatures rise, they stir and soon will reveal themselves. On a recent walk, I discovered some of these beauties.
On a spicebush plant, I found what appeared at first glance to be a dead leaf hanging from the branch. On closer inspection, I discovered this dead leaf was actually rolled up and sheltered a developing Promethea moth. The caterpillars of these large silk moths spin their cocoon using leaves of trees and shrubs.

Looking closely at a few white pine trees, I found several bundles of needles stuck together. The tips of clusters had been nibbled off, revealing a tunnel. This is the winter home of a pine tube moth pupa. These moths will emerge in spring and mate. The female will lay her eggs on new pine needles. The eggs hatch and the larva will tie a few needles together into a new tube and feed though the summer.

On a recent walk through Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve’s meadow, the brown and tan remains of last years’ grasses offered a great back ground for praying mantis egg cases. These hard, foamy sacs house 100-250 eggs that will hatch. The young mantids make their escape through a specially created section called the “zone of issue”, since the sides of the egg sac are impenetrable.

So next time you’re out and about, take a closer look at familiar things. There might just be something hiding in plain site.