Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy

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Eastern Screech Owls…they’re one of our smallest owls here in Loudoun yet also one of our most common. In this episode, we talk about their nesting, their habitat needs and setting up an owl house.

The Eastern Screech Owl has taken to suburban and urban landscapes and if we don’t clean up our woods, there’s a good chance that screech owls will take up residence. As we head into January listen for their courtship calls.

The photo shown here is of a screech owl peering out of a nestbox hole. This is the original box that I built which was well used but has now been replaced since after about seven years, the floor rotted out. We’ll see how the store bought box measures up.

To listen to this episode, click the play button at the top of this post and it will play now or Right Click Here to Download (select “Save as Target”).

Curious about what a Screech Owl sounds like? Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology has a sound recording that you can listen to….it’s simply trilling (heh heh): http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Eastern_Screech-Owl.html

The winter issue of the Habitat Herald is hot off the press! We’re assembling our team of labelers and sorters and will be mailing this next issue to all Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy members during the first week of January.

Here’s a quick preview of what’s inside:
- A Update on Citizen Science in Loudoun County
- Part II of our Woodpeckers of Loudoun article
- A great write-up on our Birds of Loudoun Atlas project
- Persimmons – a really interesting native tree
- Upcoming programs and field trips through April
- Adventures of Zoom and Compass….a story of a red bird
- and lots more!

If you’re not yet a member, you can join online. Your membership will be good through December 2009!  ($20 for an individual, $30 for a family) and, it is tax deductible as allowed by the law. 

If you join soon we can get this latest issue of the Habitat Herald out to you in our next mailing – if you join after we have our mailing party then you’ll receive a copy of this issue in your New Member Information packet. The Habitat Herald is a member benefit and is published each quarter.