At dusk, the large owl with the heart-shaped face stretches her wings, taking a much-needed break from sitting on her brood of eight eggs. Throughout the evening, her mate brings her loving gifts of field mice and voles. And anyone with an Internet connection can now watch this wildlife romance in action.
The devoted couple took up residence about five months ago in a specially built owl box atop a 20-foot pole next to Moss Landing’s Haute Enchilada Café and Gallery. Not only is it giving cafe patrons something to talk about, it’s also an eco-friendly method of rodent control that gives safe haven to this owl family.
Live streaming from an infrared videocamera shows what’s going on inside the owl box 24/7: youtu.be/_4nht4tE5rY.
“We’ve had such a positive reaction to the owls,” said cafe chef and owner Kim Solano. “It’s so uplifting — such a privilege to see them up close.”
And with egg hatching imminent, the Haute Enchilada has decided to host a special event Feb. 11 that includes a special presentation on the owls, light appetizers and perhaps even a glimpse of the owls at twilight.
The new residents — named Teco and Lotte, a play on tecolote, the Spanish word for owl — took over the box soon after it was installed by the husband-and-wife team of Duane Titus and Rebecca Dmytryk, who own the local company Humane Wildlife Control.
“Lotte has laid an above-average clutch,” said Dmytryk, who notes that barn owls are cavity nesters, and if they can’t find a hollow tree or barn to nest in, will attempt to make a home in inadequate places — palm trees, for instance, where the babies are in danger of falling out.
Because hollow trees are not as plentiful as they used to be, due to human intervention, barn owls are happy to find the owl boxes and move in.
It’s all part of the effort to make the Haute Enchilada complex a more sustainable venture, said Solano. The restaurant strives to serve only sustainable seafood, natural and free-range meat and poultry, and locally sourced organic produce whenever possible.
The Haute Enchilada also distributes paper straws rather than plastic to help reduce plastic in landfills and oceans; the staff uses eco-friendly cleaning products; and the property has its own beehive, maintained by Carmel Honey Co.
Last year, Solano was concerned about rodent problems on the property, which includes the cafe, a studio and art gallery, and the Social Club, an event venue. She contacted Titus and Dmytryk, who then built and installed the box, which has been painted in bright colors by Solano’s artist husband, Luis Solano.
Why is it important to provide a home for owls? Aside from the rodent control aspect, it’s a way to help these magnificent birds survive. Their numbers are beginning to decline, due in part to loss of habitat.
There are a few conditions, though, for inviting in barn owls to your environs. If you install a box, you need to give up using poison to control mouse, rat, gopher and ground squirrel problems, because owls that eat the poisoned rodents could sicken and die.
Also, keep in mind that nothing keeps every rodent away, but the owls do keep them in check.
“It’s mostly about control. You’re not getting rid of all rodents,” Dmytryk said. “It’s a process.”
People interested in barn owl boxes can also build their own, although Dmytryk cautions that not all the plans available on the Internet are adequate for barn owl needs. Boxes should have a minimum floor size of 29 by 24 inches, an entry hole that’s 5.5 by 4.5 inches, and an entry hole at least 14 inches off the floor, so that the babies can’t get out before they’re ready to fly.
To get on the waiting list for the Hatch Party on Feb. 11, call 831-760-0952 or email hauteenchilada@gmail.com. The cafe is also planning an Earth Day fundraiser for March 19 to celebrate earth-friendly sustainable practices, with an art auction and costume contest. Proceeds will be donated to The Last Plastic Straw program, which is aimed at reducing single-use plastics.
Do you have questions or tips about sustainable living around the Central Coast? Send them to Kathryn McKenzie at kathymckenziewriter@gmail.com. Follow Kathryn McKenzie at www.facebook.com/kathrynmckenziewriter.
