Pete Z. asks:
"Steve, friend, kahuna, paisano. Exactly where will you be hanging your owl nesting boxes this coming year?
As you probably know, In past years I experienced terrible problems with predation on my Western Screech Owl boxes. In 2007 all six of the nests started were predated by ringtail cats. Since I couldn't come up with an easy way to "ringtail cat proof" these nesting boxes, in 2008 I decided to move the boxes somewhat farther away from ringtail habitat (farther upslope and away from watercourses) but still in the Emory Oak woodlands they seem to favor. I experienced slow acceptance of these nest boxes in 2003 when I first placed them. One box out of 12 was used. However in 2008, none of the 17 boxes placed were used. I'm going to give it one more year to see if the birds accept this new arrangement. If not, who knows? Moving thes boxes is a huge undertaking. Last year it took almost a week to relocate the 17 boxes.
Keep your fingers crossed.
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