From Rocky Point Bird Observatory
The first owl at the Rocky Point station was a total surprise - a Long-eared Owl! In the past several years we have been lucky to catch one during the season, but it is not a given. This owl species is particularly cryptic & not a lot is known about them here in North America. In order to safely band and weigh larger owls, we put them in a wrap which keeps them calm.
Your tale isn't so different from mine!
During COVID, I started feeding the squirrels in the goal of getting one to take a peanut from my hand. I eventually brushed a few tales and then finally one took a nut from my hand. When it happened though, it grabbed my hand with its hand, just gently, but that was the first time I felt squirrel claws and decided, duh, they climb trees, these things are sharp and their teeth split hard nuts, maybe we shouldn't be bare-handing wild garbage disposals! So I gave up on handling them until starting back at the clinic, where I still didn't like touching the big guys without leather on.
The blue jays came next, seeing the squirrels getting such a good deal on free snacks, and being corvids, they wanted in on this. They had the advantage of making loud noises, and they would call each other when they saw me, and so I'd toss them a handful of nuts.
I got to know one old squirrel with just one large top tooth, and the jays never stay still enough for me to ID them, but I could pick out their personalities from how they would approach me or how they'd choose a nut.
They jays have had a few babies now that would be around for a bit, and I brought home more rescue squirrels, but between me having to return to work in person 3 years ago, and a ravenous fox population this year, there are maybe 3 jays and 3 squirrels, and there is the occasional cardinal pair that is much more shy, but will take the occasional chance to grab a nut, and there was also one daring titmouse that learned from watching the jays. It was always funny watching him take the peanut, as it looked so much larger when he'd carry it off than with any of the other animals.
Recently, I noticed peanuts disappear much faster, and just a few days ago I was able to confirm my hypothesis: crows, and, once again, it is 3 of them. Not sure what it is with 3s, but something is going on!
Online people always want to befriend crows for their intelligence and wishes for crown blessed trinkets of kindness... Well, none of the jays can grab more than one nut at a time, but those crows can suck at least 3 into their crops in one trip, and they push aside all my squirrel and jay friends, so the jury is out still on how I feel about this. It's kinda the same as the early spring when starlings return... I don't begrudge them even if they are invasive, that isn't their fault, but I put out the spendy no mess seed, and they can just clean out those bird feeders, and while I want them to be happy birds, their cost:pleasantness ratio is less favorable than with all my other backyard friends.
So peanuts are a constant ongoing expense, but I generally give a handful in the morning and another in the evening, so it isn't too bad, and if I spot someone, I keep a slingshot handy to target feed them, especially the more skiddish ones so they don't needed to leave cover as much to get treats. But theyre pals. I know them better than almost all of my neighbors, so they deserve a little something.