Whooo’s there? Boise couple’s doorbell camera captures curious owl’s visits
It’s not unusual for Tasmyn Raleigh’s Ring doorbell camera to capture the occasional odd visitor — a spider making her web in the doorway or a neighborhood cat out for a stroll. But for the last few weeks, she and her boyfriend, Jason Korn, have been visited by another critter at their West End Boise home: a tiny western screech owl.
The couple first noticed the owl in December, when footage from their camera showed it perched on a porch light, which is situated right beneath the camera. Raleigh said she started showing the videos to customers at her Moss Coffee & Tea, the Downtown Boise coffee shop she owns. A regular customer identified the bird as a western screech owl. The small owls — which weigh less than half a pound and stand about 10 inches tall at most — are common in Southwest Idaho.
On Jan. 13, Raleigh awoke to a notification from her doorbell camera and a photo of the owl peering directly into the camera lens, its orb-like eyes open wide in a comical stare. She decided to post the photo on NextDoor, a social media site that connects neighbors.
“(I thought), ‘Let’s just post this picture on here and make people’s day,’ ” Raleigh said in a phone interview.
The post took off, with more than 450 reactions and 71 comments. Many neighbors shared stories of their own local owl encounters, including tales of great horned owls, boreal owls and other screech owls.
Raleigh said there appear to be two screech owls that vie for the perch on her porch light. In one of her videos, a second owl can be seen swooping at the bird already sitting on the light.
Despite the birds’ persistent presence in the last month, Raleigh and Korn have yet to see them in person. Like most owls, they’re nocturnal and seem to come by the house between 2 and 4:30 a.m., Raleigh said.
“(In the mornings) I tiptoe out front to see if it’s there,” said Raleigh, who wakes up early to work at Moss.
Raleigh said the videos have been a source of joy during a stressful time, and she was happy her photo could inspire a positive conversation online.
“I just love the idea of sharing something that’s not abrasive in such a sensitive time,” she said. “It’s nice to have something that lets people forget about things and just enjoy Boise.”
This story was originally published January 20, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
