A Gray Squirrel Comes to Visit

Rusty and Iris' cage was supposed to be built so few if any insects (including mosquitoes) could get inside. In reality, there must be some small spaces here and there that are awfully hard to pinpoint. Unless you're one of Rusty and Iris' "pet" carnivorous mice who live in the cage and much on fresh gopher every night. Or if you're a squirrel.

A red squirrel got in a few days this summer, but I eventually found the little spot where he was coming and going and sealed it up. I was a bit smug that I'd won out. But today an even bigger GRAY squirrel got into the cage. How I don't know, but it kept Rusty and Iris on their toes all day.

Thankfully Iris didn't seem too agitated by the squirrel. For the most part it was just entertainment for these well fed owls. But it was too much for the squirrel to come onto the nest platform and Rusty went after that squirrel again and again.

Poor Rusty didn't have the normal advantages of a higher perch from which to drop down onto the squirrel, space to maneuver, or even binocular vision. He wasn't fast enough to get the squirrel, but he was persistent, and the squirrel didn't stick around to test his luck.

Rusty never did get the squirrel, but by the end of the day the squirrel found its way out. I kinda doubt he'll try to come back any time soon.

Two Eggs for Iris!

We've all been watching and waiting for a glimpse of the egg or eggs that Iris is sitting on. The first egg was laid on January 21, and we only have gotten partial views of it since Rusty dug the nest bowl so deep. I thought she would likely lay a second egg, but all we've gotten are grainy night-vision views when she takes her short breaks.

Today a cat decided to try to find a way into the cage to get at Rusty and Iris' food. In the video you see the cat start out right by the food tray and walk along the wall, with Rusty looking down and watching from six feet above.

But when the cat hopped down and walked around the back side of the cage, closer to the nest, Iris couldn't stand it. She bolted off the nest, clearly revealing two eggs. Thankfully she didn't seem to damage the eggs when she bolted.

So YEA! We now know there are two eggs under Iris. But hopefully the cat will go away and not scare and bother her anymore. Another good reason for people to keep cats indoors....

Iris Laid an Egg!

Break out the cigars because Iris laid an egg! This is the first egg she has laid in captivity, and Rusty wanted to see the egg for himself. In this video clip Iris has just left the nest to take a break, and the top of the egg is just barely visible in the nest bowl. Rusty flies over to check out the egg, and looks for the world like he's going to sit on it himself.

Iris apparently doesn't think this is a good idea, so she flies immediately back to the nest and seems to politely talk Rusty into getting off the nest and letting her sit on the egg.

Interestingly, Alice really doesn't like it if I check out her egg while she's off her nest either.

Hopefully Iris will lay a second egg. She took a 24 minute break this morning to sit next to Rusty while he ate, then he fed her his leftovers, which she took and ate before returning to the nest.

If all goes well we should have little owlets during our International Festival of Owls!