Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-05-29
THE HORNED OWLS NEST.
In One Case Crows Nest, Only Slight
1y Remodeled, Was Used.


Work had been going on all day In
the sugar bush; the sap had been gath
cred and drawn to the boiling place
until there remained but few scatter
ing trees to be visited near the swamp.
The boy was softly whistling to him
self, when a rabbit with easy. graceful
bounds crossed the road but a few
PAGES ahead of him and stopped by the
side OF birch-bush to nibble the ten
der buds. Just then startling sound
came up from the swamp.
Why did the rabbit pause in his
dainty meal and squat in his very
tracks until his form more nearly re-
sembled Il footprint in the snow than
living mammal? The chattering red
squirrel dropped into the crotch of a
tree, and ceased to chatter, as the
omlnous and almost supernatural
WHO'D hoo hoo wO hoOO" sounded
through the dismal swamp and echoed
through the maple grove. This was the
hunting-call of the great horned owl.
The actions Of the rabbit and squirrel
did not surprise the boy, who had al
ways heard that this owl was ver-
iitable Nero among the feathered race.
AS yet he had never discovered the
nest of the great horned owl. 1t was
now the first week in March. OF late
he had heard the weird call frequently
from the swamp, causing him to be-
lieve the birds were nesting there. and
he fully determined to make a search
for that nest.
The next day was spent in fruit
less search, and it perplexed the boy,
for often he had located the nest of the
are not easily found.
But the second days search ended.
about noon, in rather an interesting
manner. The boy stopped for lunch
and a little rest under hemlock that
he knew well, for, the spring before, a
pair of crows had a nest in the tree.
The old nest was still there, and. Just
to see what condition it was in after
the storms of winter. he assembled the
tree. The nest was between fifty and
sixty feet from the ground. Just mag
inc the boys surprise when about
thirty feet from the nest to see great
horned owl silently glide off and wing
its way through the tree tops. 1t was
a revelation. upon reaching it, to find
that the great horned owl had really
used the old crows nest, which had the
appearance Of being slightly remOd
eled, and was sparsely lined with ever
green leaves and feathers. In the nest
were three white eggs, about the size
Of bantams. The boy afterwaM
learned that the usual number of eggs
deposited by the great horned owl is
two, and that sometimes the bird con-
structs nest for itself in hollow tree
or an evergreen.
On the first day of April there We're
two little owls in the nest. and a day
later third appeared. They were
queer looking birds. seeming to be
nearly all head and eyes. and their
bodies were covered with the softest
down.
The young birds grew very slowly,
although the remains Of Ash, mice,
squirrels, rabbits and birds of various
kinds furnished abundant evidence
that the old birds were lavish in sup
plying food. They remained in the nest
for about eleven weeks. which is long
compared with most Of our birds
many young birds leaving the nest in
from twelve to fifteen days. and the
woOdcock. bob white and ruffed grouse