Very nice! I've never seen an owl like that, but then I may have never seen any kind of owl.

Way cool. I have never seen an owl in real life.

Hey FC, can you re-upload/re-attach the photos in the main post? They disappeared for some reason. Would very much like to see them.

I think I know why. Will do.

I didn't save the first group of uploads because the uploading stalled out on the last pic and I had to hit the back button. As I was making the post, they showed up anyway but were probably purged later.

Those pictures are just fantastic. What a wonderful sight to see in your own backyard.

Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you allll?

What a wonderful sight to see in your own backyard.

Not for my chipmunks. I'll trade you a few for one owl.

We've heard owls in the woods over the years, maybe more often screech owls than barred, but a few weeks ago two of these showed up and have since gotten real close, comfy, and vocal. We think it's mating season. However, it's been pretty quiet in the last week, maybe just a few calls heard farther down in the woods, and we've not seen them at all. So maybe they're done mating.

The umbrella is on our lower deck next to the pool, where we've caught one getting a bath or drink. The picture of the branch is just down into the woods maybe 30 feet. The last two (in the comment) are of a topiary we have almost next to the house. I caught this guy trying to nap one afternoon 2-3 wks ago and I shot these through my window.

Except for that last time, when it was pretty quiet, these appearances have been accompanied by a welcoming committee of several birds squawking to warn others or try to scare the owl away.

We've seen the two together, also. They'll call back and forth and then one will get on the same branch as the other (heh heh), before the other moves on to another branch. They'll repeat this for a good while. It's been a lot of fun.

Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you allll?

Exactly. I've watched them doing this and their whole body moves like a bellows.

That's awesome. Y'all are lucky to have such fine guests.

Forgot to mention they also make these chimp-like sounds when they're doing their ritual.

I have heard the chimp noises at night, close to my house, and the other calls at night too, but have only rarely seen the barred owls. They sometimes roost in the trees in the woods near the lake.

I love owls and got addicted to watching the owlets in the owl box that was fitted with a video camera in San Marcos, CA.

Owls hooting in the woods behind my house a few weeks ago. We hear them every year. They sometimes get at opposite ends of the property (we have 13 acres) and call to each other.

After listening to recordings of different calls, I think we have all three - barred owls (I always thought they were called BARN owls, LOL), great horned owls and mourning doves.

Those are scary lookers, Tess, though also beautiful.

Owls keep reminding me of George H.W. Bush's '92 campaign warnings, when he knew he was going to lose and he ran out of everything else to say. He said that with Clinton/Gore in the White House "we'll be up to our elbows in owls!" Remember that? Because of protections for the Northern Spotted Owl (that were already underway in spite of his presidency). What a jerk.

I recently watched the wired barn owl box in CA, and the parent owls brought up to fifteen rodents a night into the box to feed the owlets. Rats, gophers, rabbits, mice, voles. Fifteen a night! If you have a rodent problem, get an owl box and don't poison. Mother nature is swift, smart and beautiful if left to her own devices.