Owl House Up!

Our pipeline easement along the northern edge of our property is being widened so there has been a crew of tree men here for a week or more.  I watched them clamber up trees to trim overhanging limbs and realized they could put up my owl house for me.  I spoke to one of them during their lunch hour on Wednesday and Reynaldo said he could come on Saturday to do it for me.  Here is a photo essay of the process.

The owl box purchased in VT (link).

I added wood shavings because the owls don't build a nest.

Selected this sycamore after the first one I realized was too close to neighbors backyard,  Box must 100+ feet from a house.

Reynaldo starts by throwing a weight over a very high limb with a light rope attached.  He uses that then to pull up the climbing rope.

Box is attached to rope to pull up once he's up there.

He straps on his gear but no spikes, not for live trees, he says.

The climb begins.

Pulls up on the rope.

The raises the rope girding the tree.

Up and up.  Over 20 feet high to limb on the right.

He's there.

Up goes the owl box.

He stashed his cordless drill and a knife in there.

His girlfriend and two youngsters watched from their car.

Fastening the box to the trunk.

Hammering in the base before he heads down.

Here is the box this evening high up in the tree.

Awaiting resident barred owls.

Who, who, who cooks for you?