Scarlett on the garage roof, glaring at Alice.
At the suggestion of critterwatcher, a Rusty and Iris cam moderator, I've decided to name our new unmated wild female owl "Scarlett". The name is based on the character Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind. Their personalities seem similar.
I'm quite certain now that Scarlett wants Rusty. Rusty, however, doesn't seem particularly interested in her. He still keeps mating with Iris, even when Scarlett is hooting nearby. Scarlett lands on the owl cage, hangs out on branches very near by to the cage, and basically seems to stay within about a 5 acre area right around the cage.
Scarlett is a BOLD lady. We SEE her everyday in the yard. She doesn't go to bed early, and she gets up early in the afternoon...sometimes by 3 PM. We've gotten lots of photos and videos of her. We always know where she is because we have a watch owl named Alice. (My human-imprinted education bird.)
Alice and Hein watching Scarlett.
Alice and Scarlett hate each others' guts. At least three times Scarlett has physically slammed into the window Alice was sitting in front of. Alice just sits there. But when Scarlett flies away, Alice jumps at the window, like she wants to go after her. They hoot at each other and hoot and hoot and hoot. Both have their ear tufts up in the fully alert position. They stare daggers at each other.
Throughout it all, Iris says virtually nothing. But she and Rusty carry on with their mating activities, and Iris perches by the nest a lot, so I hope they'll still lay eggs...albeit a very late clutch.
So basically folks, we've got an owl soap opera going on here. It'll be interesting to see what happens next!
Would be nice if cam was back on & with sound. now that we are attached to R&I & new owl has been coming for a while, the night's i would be on all in AM mostly there was alot of stuff going on & knew there was another owl trying to get to them & Iris, along with Rusty, would hoot up a storm but not alway's at each other, it was other owl they knew was there & she is fiesty & now seeing her new pic, wow! can see why there was so much going on, I posted Feb 16th about new owl & this was going on 4 a while b4 i did. wish i could of taped some of it, sure was hard to figure out some of the loud & strange noise's, thought there was another wild animal trying to get in & get to owl's, could almost every night hear the coyote's & they sound so scary & close, so, glad to finally know 4 sure it's Scarlett... Jackie
ReplyDeleteKarla,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update. Yesterday early morning I heard an unusual sound for quite awhile. After reading your updated post, I suspect it was Scarlet.
maxi23
Sounds to me like you have a shortage of MALE Great Horned Owls. Rusty must have a very large head about now . . . 3 gals want him! Well, at least 2 of them . . . Alice is done with nest duties.
ReplyDeleteHoping Owl Fest was a success!! Wish I could have come!
The cams should all be up and running, although the nest cam on Ustream doesn't have sound yet and locks up sometimes. I've ordered the cable I think it necessary to get the sound going, so I should have it in a week.
ReplyDeleteActually, Scarlett didn't show up until Feb. 24/25. The other owls who were hooting before that were Victor and Virginia, the resident wild pair. I heard Victor last night too, so you have to listen very closely to figure out which owl is which. Victor has a vibratto hoot like Rusty.
Yes, there seems to be a shortage of male GHOs here! And although Alice is done incubating her egg, she is still interested in her nest. Must be Rusty and Iris' influence.
I alway's heard the other owl's far away, did'nt know they were wild or tame & now know V&V , I knew there was a NEW owl way back. & that's when so much Hooting with Her & R&I & she was right at their cage, like she was trying to find a way in, thought for sure the new owl would & R&I was trying to FIND her, I watch most night's all in am & you get to know new sound's & stuff. Am sure Karla it was Scarlett way back. Jackie
ReplyDeleteI checked on the owls and caught both rusty and iris hooting at scarlett. To me the other sound seemed like the bark or yaps of a dog. But it could be scarlett.
ReplyDeletesounds like meow! or owlp!
Yep, the squawks were Scarlett. There was QUITE the commotion this afternoon as Scarlett tried her darndest to get into the cages...walking on the ground, hopping around on the roof, hooting and squawking.
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ReplyDelete