By Stoney and Jan Edwards

COURTESY OF STONEY AND JAN EDWARDS The owl in this photo is an adult as identified by its fine stripes.

What makes these wonderful creatures so special? They live in a valley oak tree right on the paved driveway leading to Deer Hollow Farm at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve. Easy observation of these owls ranges from around 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Western screech owls usually nest from April through July. These owls are comparatively small at maturity - about 8.5 inches. There are two young in the cavity with both mother and father as caregivers. The female sits on the eggs. Both are responsible for gathering small insects and rodents to feed the young.

Their vocal sounds do not match the name screech owl. The sound is like a whistle accelerating to become a bouncing ball. Nocturnal animals and birds have fantastic hearing. This owl scores high, according to Cindy Rossler, biology consultant, because the ears are arranged more forward on the head with one ear up higher than the other.

Screech owls have a special hunting advantage at Rancho San Antonio. They need a dead tree for a nest, and it must be near the edge of the meadows where mice are the easiest to spot and are the most plentiful. Rancho Preserve is one of the few places left in this area to provide such shelters.

Photos may be viewed at www.stoneyandjanphotos.com. Click on “gallery,” then on “birds.”

Longtime Los Altos residents Stoney and Jan Edwards are wildlife photographers and aficionados.