Three times in the last week, we have been awakened by blood-curdling screams from the meat-bird pen. The first time was about 10:30, just after I had drifted off... ran out and glimpsed an owl standing on the pen, just before it flew off. It had killed and partly eaten one of the birds. At that time I had been leaving the door to the pen open, so the birds can go in and out, as they are within a tightly fenced yard with hot wires and overhead fishing-line hawk deterrent. So I put a curtain of bird netting over the entrance, leaving a small space at the bottom for the birds to go in and out... and two nights later, around midnight this time, the owl got in again. Killed one, and another died of fright. So, I resigned myself to the morning and evening routine, and started closing them in at night. Two nights later, awakened again, at 3 AM this time. The owl had come into the yard, but couldn't get into the pen; it was going all around trying to find a way in, and scaring the bejabbers out of the birds. Things went differently this time though, nobody died and the owl got tangled up in the overhead lines,allowing me to get a few pics before cutting it free.
Last night no screams, but my brain woke me up anyway, just in case... arg.
I'm hoping the experience was traumatic enough to discourage this Great Horned Owl, which I think may be a juvenile, from returning. We only need a couple more weeks before all these birds will be in the freezer!
Last night no screams, but my brain woke me up anyway, just in case... arg.
I'm hoping the experience was traumatic enough to discourage this Great Horned Owl, which I think may be a juvenile, from returning. We only need a couple more weeks before all these birds will be in the freezer!
