It's been a year since Rusty and Iris moved into their home here in Houston, MN. Although they didn't have kids this first breeding season, things are looking good for Year Two. So I decided it was time to get the cameras and infrared illuminators installed in the release training cage.
Alan Stankevitz, our tech guru extrordinaire, came over today to do the deed. Installing cameras might not sound too complicated, but it involves soldering on a microphone jack, mounting the base plate, connecting lots of wires, adjusting the camera angles and focus (the focus is REEEEEEEEALLLLLLYYYYY touchy on these cameras!), and probably some other stuff I'm totally clueless about.
I arrived halfway through the project (I had programs to do with Alice in the morning). My job was mostly to get the laptop setup out there so I could see what the camera saw and holler at Alan to move the adjustments up, down, left, right, zoom in, zoom out, and move the focus more this way or that way. The wireless connection from the house wasn't quite strong enough, so I used a long DSL cable from the hub in the breeding cage and sat outside.
Meanwhile Hein worked with some steel siding to cover up any and all gaps where mice and other critters might be able to sneak in and out of the release cage. But speaking of critters, we've had a little stinker of a red squirrel coming and going as he pleases from Rusty and Iris' cage. He seems to like to come in the morning for a drink from their bath pan. I had no idea how he was getting in and out, but while I was working outside on the laptop I saw it: the little fart had gnawed a hole in the aluminum screen on the outside of the cage! Man, wouldn't that hurt your teeth??
My standard fix for squirrel holes is to put a license plate over the hole. Always works with wood, so I plopped a license plate over this hole too. We'll see what happens when squirrel meets license plate tomorrow.
The extra infrared illuminators still need to be installed, but Hein will do that soon. He'll also put another one in Rusty and Iris' cage and move the other dome illuminator so we can see the nest area better as well as the far perch where they like to copulate. Then I think we're all set for babies!
Wow, sounds like things are moving right along.I'm sure everyone will like this new update and will look forward to the time when Iris lays her first egg. (Critterwatcher)
ReplyDeleteNice!
ReplyDeleteThought you might want to know--at around 05:11 PST, with much hooting, Iris arrived at the edge of the nest delivery platform, followed by Rusty who first went to the nest area, then turned to offer Iris some food (not sure if it was cached or brought in, and he was pushing it up to her beak). She didn't take it, so he either ate it or cached it (maybe both), then went to the perch on the nest, then left, followed by Iris.
At the moment (05:18 PST), at least one of them is somewhere above the camera--there's the occasional tail feather poking in at the top of the frame.
It's interesting to see how second-year courtship differs from first year. Think there might be another potential wannabe homewrecker (like Scarlett)?
Karla good some really great Screenshots of Rusty and Iris this morning and even sharing a treat..
ReplyDeleteHere is the link to the pics and owlshotz where we keep up with goings on and pics.. Rusty and Iris are in the GHO section..
Pics
http://s878.photobucket.com/albums/ab347/lgayle1955/rusty%20and%20%20Iris%20GHO/
Owlshotz
http://owlshotz.justforum.net/f5-great-horned-owl-sites-links
Talk later Bye
Laura
They are so beautiful. Are there more pictures that I am missing? Thanks for all that you do for them.
ReplyDeleteThat would be wonderful for Rusty and Iris to have a family! Thanks for all you do, Karla, and also everyone who works with you!
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you implemented your license plate fix yet, but I noticed your squirrel rooting around the inside of the flight this morning around 8 or 9 (Pacific.)
ReplyDeleteGrrrrr to the squirrel! Thanks for pinpointing this in the video so we can see where the little stinker came in. It's not where I put the license plate.
ReplyDeleteHi--
ReplyDeleteEarly this morning (around 03:37 PST, 01 Dec 2011), Rusty and Iris were both on the log perch, with Rusty hooting up a storm and someone replying from outside--was that Alice? Or Victor? Or someone else? Just curious...
This morning around 6:03am Rusty and Iris mated again. It looked like Iris came to him this time. Good job you two!
ReplyDeleteAgain at 6:41. Rusty is on a roll!
ReplyDeleteIt looked like Iris was scratching/digging in the nest. ~6:25 PM EST Dec 1st.
ReplyDeleteI watch occasionally, enjoy every second. Tonight at 11:30 pm MST a mousie ran all around the room and on the wall... both owls were sound asleep :) darn.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing with the world
Thank you everyone for your posts! I'm not able to watch 24/7, so your observations are very helpful. And obviously these owls are well fed since they don't care about mice or squirrels in their cage!!!
ReplyDelete2:15ish, Sounded like Rusty was adding an extra note to his usual hoot for a bit. Bot sure if that's significant at all, but he did it three or four times before reverting back.
ReplyDeleteScrewball, on Dec. 1 that was Victor, the wild resident male hooting back.
ReplyDeleteSome really interesting behavior going on. 6PM EST Dec 20th.
ReplyDeleteRusty is in the nest, grunting up a storm. Iris keeps flying in and out, looking at him. Is he trying to express his displeasure that she's not nesting yet?
Wolphie
About 10:00PM I heard the same outside visitor that was there a couple nights ago. It sounded almost like a duck but you said it might be "Jezebelle".
ReplyDeleteNice catch, daoliver! What you were hearing was Iris making squawking sounds. I don't understand the squawking vocalizations yet, and they are pretty uncommon, so it's important to see/hear as many as I can to try to get a better feel of what they're about. THANKS!
ReplyDeleteGHO with grey eyes.
ReplyDeletehttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yZAp1RxVQyE/Tu_PdNN5YSI/AAAAAAAACVw/7rVjOy9k3xI/s1600/GHO+grey+eyes.JPG
Wolphie
Yes, I saw that article with the GHO with gray eyes. WEIRD looking!
ReplyDelete