Finally, some relief: Roost 1 found!

Well, I did it.

I found the first roost for my study! When I went to look yesterday, I found nothing new. And I mean nothing. I checked both places where I have found pellets before and found no new ones, even though it had been about 3 days since I had looked. 

I was not a happy camper.

As frustrated as I was though, I noticed that there was a huge grove of pine trees back behind the other grove of pine trees that I had been looking under up until now. I hadn't noticed it before because there was a wall of what I am calling "mini trees" that were about 4 ft. high blocking it. But I decided that I should look back there since it was more off the beaten path and had more protection so the owl might like that. 

So I returned today.

When I first got back there I was trying to make a game plan because, lets face it: THERE WERE A LOT OF TREES BACK THERE! So I started to make a circle around the perimeter. As I was doing so, I heard something big fly in and over to a group of trees about 20 ft. away from me. I didn't see what it was, but I could hear that it was big. So I wandered over there some more. I didn't see anything under the trees I heard the noise around so I ventured off to the side a little. 

That's when I saw the first pellet.

It stood out a lot since it poured last night and the pellet had gotten soaked so it was pitch black and had swollen a little. Then I noticed a couple inches from it, there was another. So I stood up more and tried to scan this tree more clearly.

In total, there was about 10 pellets.

Praise the Lord, Hallelujah! So then I noticed another pellet off to one side next a tree about 3 ft. away.

I found 10 more pellets.

This was the point when I almost started crying because after countless hours of searching, about 10 mosquito bites (mostly on my right hand) and countless sleepless nights I had finally found the barred owl's roost. There was no mistaking it. Carl, the professor advising my project, told me that when I find the roost I'll know because there will be a ton of pellets.

20 is a ton in my book!

So I have done it everyone! I have found a roost and just in time for my first collection date on Thur. for the first full moon cycle I'm using. I had hoped to have more roosts, but I can still be working on that. But the fact is, I can actually start my project on time. 

It's a good day.

Now I didn't see the owl, the darn thing is ALWAYS HIDING, but I have found it's roost and it's pellets and that is just fine in my book. So I present, roost 1:

(The 2nd tree I found is off to the right a little)

Sincerely, 

Owl Girl