Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-05-19
THE HORNED Owls NEST.

In One Case Crows Nest, Only Slight
II 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 rabbit with easy, graceful
bounds crossed the road but a few
PAGES ahead of him and stopped by the
side Of a 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 footprint in the snow than
a living mammal? The chattering red
squirrel dropped into the crotch of a
tree, and ceased to chatter, as the
ominous and almost supernatural
"Whoo 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-
Itable 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 search
for that nest.
The next day was spent in q fruit
less search, and it perplexed the boy,
for often he had located the nest of the
bobolink and meadow lark-nests that
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 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 ascended the
tree. The nest was between fifty and
sixty feet from the ground. Just imag'
Inc the boys surprise when about
thirty feet from the nest to see a great
horned owl silently glide of and wing
its way through the tree tops. It was
a revelation, upon reaching 1t, to find
| that the great horned owl had really
used the old crows nest, which had the
| appearance Of Deing slightly remod
eled, and was sparsely lined with ever
green leaves and feathers. In the nest
were three white eggs, about the size
Of bantam'B. The boy afterwart
learned that the usual number of egg.
deposited by the great horned owl IL
two, and that sometimes the bird con
structs a nest fer itself in a hollow tret
or an evergreen.
l On the first day Of April there were
later third appeared. They were
queer-looking birds, seeming to b,
nearly all head and eyes, and theil
bodies were covered with the softes
down.
The young birds grew very slowly
although the remains of fish, mice
squirrels, rabbits and birds Of variou,
kinds furnished abundant evidenc,
that the old birds were lavish in sup
J plying food. They remained in the nes
for about eleven weeks, which Is lon,
compared with most Of our birds
many young birds leaving the nest IL
from twelve to fifteen days, and th'
/ In about as many hours.-St. Nicholas