Who's whooo on Raymond Court?

Our newest Spring Lake resident…a great horned OWLET

We live in a special place, an island within a city, tranquil and teeming with wildlife. Every day we're reminded that we share this unique space with resident and migratory wildlife -- animals that enhance our neighbor-hood experience. Just last week we saw a pair of wood ducks, various grebes, a northern shoveler, a couple of buffleheads and a great blue heron. This little community blog is our way of documenting the wildlife activity in and around Spring Lake. We hope you'll share your sightings. Contact jowood@wi.rr.com for posting info if you would like to join the posting group...OR email your story and/or photos and we'll be happy to post them for you. Has anyone else seen the new mallard family? Ten ducklings! Was the nest in your yard? (Update 5/15: 8 ducklings)

Do you see more than one owlet?

Speaking of nests, Easter weekend we discovered a large nest near the top of the white pine in our backyard. It looked like a squirrel's nest "upgraded" with twigs and bits of vines and dried grasses snatched from fall's leavings. We kept watch, and eventually binoculars confirmed it -- the ear tufts were unmistakable: a great horned owl. I wondered if it could possibly be the one we rescued several years ago, the one that found its way onto our deck, neurologically impaired from ingesting rat poison, probably from chipmunk roadkill. After months of rehab at the Horicon Marsh wildlife refuge, that owl was released back into our neighborhood with the hope that it would reconnect with its mate. I like to think that's what happened. I grabbed my little digital camera and tried to zoom in close enough to capture the owl's image.

A blurry Mother's Day portrait

When I uploaded the photo and zeroed in on the nest, surprise! A great horned OWLET (circled in top photo) was peering back at my camera, with mom or dad behind. How special is that!
These owls are magnificent raptors, as featured in this short video from the EcoLife Foundation. And to think we have our own great horned owl family living right here on Spring Lake…very cool.

-- Joni Wood | Raymond Court