After the frenetic dusk action earlier this week, yesterday evening was so dull that I got a little nervous.

   The owl in the nesting box stuck her head out of the opening for much of the afternoon, then flew to a nearby branch around 7:15.

   I scanned the woods for signs of the second owl, with no luck.

   After Mrs. Ace flew away, I went outside and looked for owl silhouettes in the fading light. Although I'd had recent luck seeing owls perched, again no luck.

  Inside, I activated the monitor, but no owl returned to the box. After all the activity of recent days, it was a letdown.

  Later, I thought: It's 10 p.m. Do you know where your neighborhood screech owl is?

  And the answer was no.

  Any concerns about the owls disappeared around 4:30 a.m., when I could hear an owl call three times beyond the backyard, a drumming sound that made for a perfect lullaby.

  This morning when I awoke, I saw Mrs. Ace chilling in the opening to the nesting box. By 8 a.m., she was neatly tucked away inside.