We arrived on a beautiful fall afternoon, and driving out onto the open pasture, we were quickly greeted by the cows. I'm always amazed at the bravado and curiousity of these large herbivores. Within minutes, they had scoped out the entire situation.
The cows were not the only grazers on this farm. Alpacas and a few llamas also make these fields their home, as do a few friendly donkeys. Everyone wanted to check out the commotion.
I had to get all the animals out of the way, so Tom and Norm wouldn't accidentally smack them with the pole and tire.
I also had to keep the cows away from the ladders during installation, lest a sudden move topple Tom, Norm, and the nest box to the ground.
My main strategy was to make funny noises, so the cows would be more interested in me than the other two. A flyswatter would have been handy, too.
Eventually, the installation was a success. The cows thought so, too.
If you squint your eyes, looking out past the llamas and the pond, to the left of the distant juniper, you can see the white speck that is the nest box. This is Barn Owl heaven!
There are also numerous structures on the farm, which can harbor the rodents upon which Barn Owls feed.
Barn Owls feed almost exclusively on rodents, so livestock and chickens are not under any threat. Because these special owls can eat such large volumes of mice, voles, and rats, they can be very helpful on small farms such as this one. This chicken looks like it can take care of itself anyway.
On the way out, we noticed a scarecrow on the front lawn of the main house. Luckily for us, it wasn't a "scareowl." With any luck, this quaint farm in western Orange county will become a welcome home to a future family of Barn Owls.
Box #10 is fully installed. Double digits!!!!!
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