Visitor to our chimney

[DeplorabusUnum]

We had a visitor to our house. First we found a rat by the fireplace. We caught him and put him outside. Still hearing noises coming from the fireplace. Sounded like something large. Today my wife heard whoooo, whoooo. Open the flue and there sits our little friend. We assume the rat was supposed to be his dinner.

After a few hours, the animal control guy got him out through the flue. After getting bit, the guy used my welding gloves to pull him safely out. It was a tight fit, but the bird wasn't hurt and was able to fly away up into a neighbors tree.

 

[6518John]

That sounds like an adventure for everyone involved! That is a Great-Horned Owl. Absolute killing machine.

Great Horned Owl Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

 

[Rudi]

Good on 'ya! I love owls.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Cool visitor!

Time for a new chimney cap.

 

[6518John]

I just realized looking at the photos a bit closer, but the owl has lost an eye.

I was brush hogging once and had a red-tailed hawk exhibit almost no fear of the tractor and 18 foot brush hog—like we were not even there. He was after field rats and other critters we were spooking up running the cutter.

Interestingly, he had lost an eye as well. I bet that s why your owl was after his prey so aggressively he came down your chimney. I bet he caught the rat, lit on the chimney, the rat wiggled lose and the owl said, “oh no, your aren't getting away!”

 

[Bugkiller99]

I’ve had some swallows nest in my chimney, but nothing that big in there. I ended up putting some grating on top of my chimney after the second time of catching birds in my house.

That was a tv video show worthy event.

 

[Valmet]

I’ve had some swallows nest in my chimney, but nothing that big in there. I ended up putting some grating on top of my chimney after the second time of catching birds in my house.

That was a tv video show worthy event.

My situation also. Swallows in the chimney so steel mesh on the top as soon as they were out. No issues since.

 

[6518John]

We actually had a bat get in the house and the little devil was living on the back of the TV where it was always warm! I finally realized he was flying out at night into the living room, then back behind the TV (I had seen movement before but thought it was my imagination, or simply an optical illusion caused by movement outside the house.)

Once I figured out his roost, I caught him with some heavy leather gloves and released him. Both prisoner and jailer were relieved.

I got the chimney cap fixed right away too!

 

[prairieviper]

Once, years ago, we had a bird squeeze through the wire mesh guard and get inside our steel chimney. We had to take a section off before it could fly out. We have had a stronger, tighter fitting, steel mesh guard ever since and have never had any more problems.

 

[chief38]

In my first house (35 years ago) we were having a NYE party and had a blazing fire going in the fireplace. It was bitter cold outside and snowing. About 12:30 am we all heard a noise from the chimney and it was a squirrel that fell down and caught on fire. He ran through the screens and started running through the house on fire. We were finally able to block him off near a door and get him out - but he was still on fire. The lady's were screaming and it was a sobering experience for the men.

Needles to say, I installed a good quality chimney cap that had strong squirrel proof metal on the sides a few days later! When we moved into our current home we had a new fireplace built and immediately had the same cap installed - no more critters!

 

[glowe]

. . . First we found a rat by the fireplace. We caught him and put him outside . . .

Wait, you caught and actually released a rat outside??????? Do you know of the diseases they carry and how fast they reproduce!!!!!!

 

[6518John]

^^^”Cats got to eat, same as worms.”

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

I just realized looking at the photos a bit closer, but the owl has lost an eye.

I was brush hogging once and had a red-tailed hawk exhibit almost no fear of the tractor and 18 foot brush hog—like we were not even there. He was after field rats and other critters we were spooking up running the cutter.

Interestingly, he had lost an eye as well. I bet that s why your owl was after his prey so aggressively he came down your chimney. I bet he caught the rat, lit on the chimney, the rat wiggled lose and the owl said, “oh no, your aren't getting away!”

That's what I thought when I first looked at the picture, but the right eye was still intact, just kind of sooty, and cloudy looking. Once we got him out the eye started to clear up. The animal control fellow said that as soon as he starts flying around and eating again that eye would be back to it's normal bright yellow color. Once out, he was remarkably calm.

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

Wait, you caught and actually released a rat outside??????? Do you know of the diseases they carry and how fast they reproduce!!!!!!

My wife had rats as pets when she was a little girl (Parents lived in filth). She loves them. If I even suggested killing that little fellow, she might do the same to me Besides, hawks and owls need food too.

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

I just realized looking at the photos a bit closer, but the owl has lost an eye.

I was brush hogging once and had a red-tailed hawk exhibit almost no fear of the tractor and 18 foot brush hog—like we were not even there. He was after field rats and other critters we were spooking up running the cutter.

Interestingly, he had lost an eye as well. I bet that s why your owl was after his prey so aggressively he came down your chimney. I bet he caught the rat, lit on the chimney, the rat wiggled lose and the owl said, “oh no, your aren't getting away!”

You can see his eye is still intact in this picture frame.

 

[Onomea]

In my first house (35 years ago) we were having a NYE party and had a blazing fire going in the fireplace. It was bitter cold outside and snowing. About 12:30 am we all heard a noise from the chimney and it was a squirrel that fell down and caught on fire. He ran through the screens and started running through the house on fire. We were finally able to block him off near a door and get him out - but he was still on fire. The lady's were screaming and it was a sobering experience for the men....

Sounds like a really great New Year's Eve party!

 

[Model 19 6"]

A couple years ago, our cat was checking out the fire place.The glass doors were closed,but we could see the raccoon just staring at us.