Ever since we moved into our house nearly eight years ago, we've had owls living in the surrounding trees that call out with their gentle hoots nearly every night. At the beginning, we would only hear them and could never catch sight of them. We would listen to their calls when we were outside at night or when we had our bedroom window open during warm weather. We knew there were at least two owls that would often sit on opposite sides of the road and call back and forth to each other.
It took a couple of years before we caught glimpses of them, but even then, it was at night as they were silently flying over our heads during hunting expeditions. So, with just the hoot to go on, we had a tough time identifying what species they were. Then, last spring, the pair of owls nested in a tree across the street from us. As the pair cared for their young, we began to see them more and more. They were hunting earlier and earlier in the evening. We also began to see three fledglings coming out of the nest to sit on a tree branch and wait for mom and dad to bring meals. They were so cute and fluffy. They sure made a ruckus with all their screeching and squawking, too. We looked forward to seeing them every evening.
Eventually, we got enough good looks at the adults to confirm through both their appearance and the sound of their hoots that they are Great Horned Owls. One evening in July, the pair was out actively hunting during twilight and I was able to capture a few photos. The first photo below is the best and closest shot of an owl I could get with the measly zoom on my camera. The second one shows both adults. The first is taking off from the tree and the second is still sitting in the tree, just to the right of the flying owl.
After the young owls fledged and left the nest, somewhere around September, the adults disappeared, too. For the first time in years, we weren't hearing hoots at night. Then, just before Thanksgiving, the adult owls came back. Or at least, I presume it was the same pair, but I really can't be sure. Last night the pair was having quite a conversation back and forth over the hill. When I went outside early this morning the conversation continued. Perhaps they were talking all night. Their soft hoots are such a pleasant sound; I am truly grateful that they have returned to our neighborhood. I wonder where they went and what they were doing while they were gone. I also wonder what prompted them to return.
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