From the West: Owls nesting in a Palm Tree?

Actually this blog is still from the “Southwest” as a bump in the road stopped us from getting back to Nebraska several weeks ago. Most of the human snowbirds have left for northern climes and we will soon. One of the unique sights for a Panhandle Nebraskan is to see owls nesting in a palm tree. I’m assuming great-horned owl, but they also claim to have  long-eared owls, and again, I’m without a detailed bird book to work out the details. There are three chicks in the so-called nest and each shows the impact of their fight for food. The kind folks that live below this palm said they can hear owl-talk all night as the adults do their best to bring in prey items. The largest young stands close to the adult, the center chick still carrying downy white feathers is the smallest and the left chick is noticeably stronger and larger. The daily temperatures have risen into the mid-90s and the adult owl faces the palm trunk and the young try to rotate around the palm for precious little shade. The only birds that may have been even hotter here are the ten mallard chicks that reportedly jumped into one of the hot tubs next to the swimming pools.

Anyway, hopefully my next blog will have a true “From the West” title, can’t wait to get back.

Bob