Inside the Grapevine Elementary library, you’ll find a lot of signs of birds of prey if you look closely.
“So, hey everybody!” said Rebecca, a Grapevine mom who is visiting the school to give a class on Eastern Screech Owls.
While speaking to a room full of fourth graders, she shared what the birds eat, where they live and how they survive.
“They really like trees and shrubs that are dense . . . their only defense is camouflage and hiding,” Rebecca said.
Sitting in front of all of those fourth graders, is third grader Laramie. She has a vested interest in this lesson.
“Were looking in on the owls,” Laramie said. Because they’re living, “in my front yard.”
Laramie and Rebecca’s family home in Grapevine is home to a family of owls, which could also be living in a neighborhood near you too.
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“We have Eastern Screech Owls all around us, and most of us are completely unaware that they’re here,” Rebecca said.
The male living in their 35-year-old Ash tree is lovingly named Leo, short for Leonardo.
He’s been living there since Rebecca rolled out the owl-family welcome mat.
“It was so easy, we put up an owl box and we just waited a couple of years and all of a sudden we came out one day and my husband noticed him sticking out of the box and was like, ‘Hey! Look up there!’ and there he was. He’s been here ever since,” Rebecca said.
Leo has been there six years. His mate of two years, Lizzie, and he have attracted a lot of attention from neighbors.
“Watching what we were doing, asking questions, and we were just answering the same questions over and over and we thought, ‘why don’t we stream this and teach people,’” Rebecca said.
Thanks to a live stream video compliments of company HD On Tap, people from all over the world now watch their owls via live stream, which includes students at Grapevine Elementary, with the added benefit of witnessing Leo and Lizzie’s family grow with the addition of four owlets.
“We have Gumdrop, Cocoa, and Snoopy,” Rebecca said to the room of students. “And the little one, the last one, we named Tate after the mayor of Grapevine, William D. Tate.”
“I think just the fluffiness and like their eyes are so big,” said fourth grader Evan.
“They have really big eyes,” said Samantha with a smile.
“They’re just in the box right now, and they’re just kind of chillin’ I guess,” said Rachel with a laugh.
While outside, their humans, Rebecca and Laramie, wait and watch the owl box’s four-inch opening to see which owlet will be the first one to go beyond the peep hole and officially leave their nest for good.
“Probably um, Cocoa is probably going to be the one out,” Laramie said. “Or Tate.”
So be careful little owlets, because there are a lot of people watching your progress online who are very concerned about you learning to fly.
“Don’t fall,” Samantha said.
“Like don’t just spread your wings and believe you can do it!” Rachel said. “You have to flap them! Learn how to fly first!”
It’s a loving concern that’s been growing alongside these owlets, thanks to Rebecca and live-stream technology that’s helping bring people closer to nature.
