Superb Owl Sunday

A wonderful surprise: the last time I saw Mike Wilson was in 2021 when he built and installed the box that our backyard owls are currently living in.

On Sunday he stopped by to gift me one of his new “shabby chic” designs. His reclaimed wood supply dried up and cedar prices are through the roof, so he makes these (slightly bigger) boxes with pine, paints them, and goes at them with sandpaper when he’s done.

Our first box was #833. Two years ago, he told me his goal was to get well past #1000. Our new one is #1059, so he’s obviously been ripping it. (He showed me an amazing Google Map of all the boxes he has installed around town.)

All I had to give him in return was one of these Coconut woodcuts and a copy of Keep Going. (If I’d have known him when I wrote that book, he’d probably have been in the book as a case study.)

If you’re in Central Texas and you want him to build you an owl box, text him at 512-940-1161.

Here is a photo of Mike Wilson, a carpenter from South Austin, installing the house we had built for Coconut the Owl last month. Mr. Wilson used to build owl boxes for his carpentry clients, but now he makes them to fill his days in retirement. His phone is full of photos of owls from the back yards of happy customers. “I’m not making a fortune,” he told me, “but I’m making a fortune in friends.”

Mr. Wilson has built over 800 (!!!) owl boxes for folks all over. He builds two a day and installs two a day. We got box #833. He told me he wants to get well past a thousand. “I just want to keep going,” he said.

The boxes are custom-built with reclaimed wood for smaller Eastern Screech Owls like Coconut, mainly to help protect them from bigger predators, like the Great-horned Owl, but also to encourage them to stick around and have babies.

We had a house built for Coconut today!

? ? #coconuttheowl pic.twitter.com/905n6Kvekb

— Austin Kleon (@austinkleon) January 28, 2021

Mr. Wilson said his quickest box installation to owl inhabitant time was 14 hours, but it took Coconut a little longer… or so we thought.

A downright gorgeous day in Austin, Texas. Coconut is hiding in the bamboo again — the squirrels are in a frenzy, ripping up the tree cruft for their nests — but here’s a video of her from yesterday ? ? #coconuttheowl pic.twitter.com/QMTaOo7MQX

— Austin Kleon (@austinkleon) February 3, 2021

Here’s a video of her still in the palm tree, chilling in the sunshine on February 3rd.

happy Superb Owl Sunday to you from Coconut ?? #coconuttheowl #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/cSqEH7dplU

— Austin Kleon (@austinkleon) February 7, 2021

And here’s a video of “her” four days later, on Superb Owl Sunday, except she was looking a little skinny and angry.

Looking at the single-digit forecast next week and very worried about Coconut! Wish she could come inside and live with us ?? #coconuttheowl pic.twitter.com/CVFLb83YF4

— Austin Kleon (@austinkleon) February 11, 2021

Three days later, on February 10th, she’s looking like herself again, but still not in her house.

Poor Coconut looks so miserable ? ? ? #coconuttheowl pic.twitter.com/kidr5ygLjm

— Austin Kleon (@austinkleon) February 13, 2021

And then, two days ago, before our big winter storm, Coconut was looking really mean and miserable. We were getting really worried about her. Why didn’t she go sit in her box?

There’s been a miracle! ? ? #coconuttheowl pic.twitter.com/WWg3o2tzSr

— Austin Kleon (@austinkleon) February 14, 2021

And then, yesterday… a miracle! Coconut was in her house, looking radiant! I immediately texted Mr. Wilson some photos.

Mr. Wilson was quick to point out that it seems we’ve been looking at two different owls — Coconut, and what appears to be her MATE. Yes, in a perfect Valentine’s Day twist, what appeared to be Coconut in a sad, miserable state, was probably just… well, her husband, basically.

UPDATE (2/20/21): Several people have written to me noting that screech owls puff up when they’re happy and “go skinny” and weird when they’re trying to blend in with the tree. Well, dear readers, I am happy to inform you that we have visual confirmation that there are, indeed, two owls living in the box!