Wednesday, July 8, 2009

yes there are two

Tonight I witnessed a shoving match when not one but two heads appeared at one time in the nest box opening. Good to know that sibling rivalry happens in the owl family too. Although I didn't get it in a photo, I can confirm that the owlet has at least one sibling! I got it on video, but I'm having some technical (read amateur) difficulties. Hoping to share that (the video not the difficulty) at some point.

I was able to snap some better pictures this evening. The little ones don't show themselves till right at dusk making it difficult to get a good shot. I don't want to use a flash. Not sure that would be the ethical thing to do since they are fighting off predators for their very lives and all.



I have thoroughly enjoyed the evenings this week watching the young-uns peer from the nest box. I've had to become a little less obtrusive as mother owl has gotten very protective. Up until this week I could walk out and sit right under the branch she was perched on. Now, if I so much as near the edge of our porch she barks at me and makes a close pass swooping in my direction. I'll keep my eyeballs thank you very much. I'm pretty sure she wants to claw them out.

1 comment:

Joanne said...

Cute! I showed Elise the pictures and she yelled, "Mocho!" (Portuguese for owl). Then I told her that the owls lived at Val's house and would she like to see them one day?

To which she replied, "Yes. Val, mocho, house."