Lately, I’ve been getting really into eBird’s yard listing feature and have given the yard a thorough half hour to hour-long survey every day. At the end of today’s successful survey I considered all the birds that I really could see in the yard. Eastern Screech-Owl came into my mind as a slight possibility. I knew they were present in suburban areas with an adequate number of trees, so I thought it would be worthwhile to give it a shot.
Fast forward to tonight at 7:30, at dusk. Telling my dad “I can’t believe I’m doing this, I truly feel like an idiot,” I stepped out onto the patio and threw off some calls using the iPhone. No response. 10 minutes. 20 minutes. 30 minutes went by before I considered the fact that I wasn’t wearing socks and my that my feet seemed comfortably stuck to the cold, stone patio.
I decided to give it one final try, knowing that Screech-Owls will often fly in silently. Almost immediately, a small bird swooped in and perched around 20 feet up in a nearby tree. My heart skipped a beat. It was a gray morph Eastern Screech-Owl! It began to softly call and, after briefly putting the spotlight on it and getting my looks, I ran inside to drag everyone else out.
It was my utmost privilege to be able to show the wonderful little owl to all of my family save my mom, who was cooking dinner (we’ll get it for her on another night!). Around halfway into the viewing, a second bird swooped in. We were so concentrated on the main attraction, however, that we didn’t see where it landed, but it was undoubtedly another Eastern Screech-Owl, indicating we had a PAIR going in the neighborhood!
Finally, our wonderful friend disappeared into the night and we retreated inside to enjoy a wonderful meal. I decided almost immediately to purchase a nest box to try to entice these birds. I now know much of my free time will now be devoted to battling it out with the starlings and HOSPs!
What a bird for less than an acre of suburban property. Shows how eBird has really changed my birding….
-AB
Flight of the Scrub-Jay 
Alex,
Very,very neat. Congratulations.
If you happen to see the other Screech Owl well enough to see which color morph it is, I would bet that it is a red morph bird. The few pairs which I have seen in Fairfield County are composed of a red and a gray. I don’t know if that is just a coincidence or not.
Good luck if you put up a nest box. Squirrels take them over frequently.
Hi Charlie,
Thanks! I’ll definitely be on the lookout for getting a confirmed color morph on the other owl, as I didn’t see it well enough to confirm.
Alex
Tonight was awesome!
It was — that was pretty neat!
How exciting, Alex! I hear Screech Owls near our home in NC, but have never seen one. You are so lucky! Please let us know if you see it again.
Will do, Helen!
Loved reading this blog! Wish I had been there to view the birds. What a treat for all of you! Let’s hope they find the nesting box–how cool would that be!
I think I just lost my original entry–can’t find it. Anyway, wish I had been there to see the birds with all of you. Hope you have good luck with the nesting box. How cool would that be!
Wish you had been there too, Deanna! Seems like they’re present in the neighborhood, though, so hopefully we can get them for you on another night!
I’m coming over. Nemesis remember?
Brendan
I’m coming over. Thats my Nemesis bird remember?
Anytime, Brendan, anytime!
Wow, that’s SO COOL!!!!!!!!!! You know how much I love owls! I must say I’m quite jealous. Then again, from my property I’ve seen Great Horned, Long-eared, Short-eared, Snowy… ok I’ll stop. Truly an incredible sighting!
haha you’re doing pretty well when it comes to owls! Don’t see Eastern Screech on that list though….