Cambridge, Mass.
1911.
March 2-7

Screech Owl living in bird house in "Jungle."

  During this period and I know not for how long a
time before a Red Owl (Scops asio) has been spending his days
in the box which I put up for Flickers years ago and in which
they nested the first season but never again. A gray Owl
had possession of it for a time in winter four or five years
ago and Squirrels have occupied it from time to time.
I first noticed this red Owl about 5 P.M. on March 2nd
when his face completely filled the hole as he looked out, the
remainder of him being inside the box. He showed himself
in the same way at the same hour the next evening.
On March 4 he was looking out from 9 to 10 A.M. and from
4 to 6 P.M.; on the 6th at 10 A.M. and from 5 to 6 P.M.
on the 7th at 1 P.M. On several of these occasions the sun
shone from a clear sky full in his face. At 1 P.M. on the
7th the light was reflected from fresh fallen snow. Sometimes
he keeps his eyes closed, sometimes open. They are always open when
twilight is falling & then he keeps moving his head. If we go
within twenty yards of the tree he retreats out of sight into the box.