Look "Hoo Hoo Hoo" It Is...

We have the most amazing backyard visitor ever - an Eastern Screech Owl!  He/She is just magnificent.  I could watch him all day.  He lives in a little wooden box attached to my neighbours tree.  The tree is just on the other side of our fence so we have a perfect view from the windows at the back of our house and an even better view when outside. 

We are not sure if it is a male or female but we can't help but wonder if it is a female sitting on an egg.  Baby owls would just be too much - cute overload!!!  My 4 year old has named him "Flapper."

Thanks to Google, I have learned a lot about the Eastern Screech Owl.  Flapper is reddish brown.  They can be red in colour or gray.  I have yet to see him leave the box.  Perhaps he does at night, when most owls are alert and hunting for food.  If I did see him, though, he would look like this cute little owl to the right.  Throughout the day, he just sits inside the little box.  You can usually see his head just inside the hole.  When the sun is shining, he likes to poke his head out to catch some rays.  Sometimes, you can't see his head at all.  The box is quite deep so I think he hides below.  There are many birds around here and I see some of them pester him at times.  The blue jays even land on top of his little house and squawk at him.  He retreats to the bottom of his box until they go away.  We heard him make a little call the other evening.  I recognized the sound and realized I have heard it before in our backyard and in the woods around our house.  It actually sounded more like a horse neighing!  Listen to it here. 

I'll be sure to let you know if Flapper Junior arrives!