The owlets are out of the nest! Mom was nowhere in sight today - undoubtedly, off celebrating some much earned solitude and rest for Mother's Day. The trail, which we usually have mostly to ourselves, was packed with people this morning! I figured when I saw the busy nearby parking lot that the word was out that the babies were up and out of the nest.
We came across the first one in a tree near the nest. It was alone, hunkered down in a crotch of the tree. We had heard speculation that there were three owlets, but had only seen two previously. A fellow owl-watcher said that this one appears to be the runt, and must be cast from the nest. I don't think they are flying yet, so Mom must have put it here. Another owl fan said it seems to be growing still, so must still be being fed. I hope it survives!
Meanwhile, back at the nest the other two owlets were posing for all those with cameras and binoculars. I say there were 'a lot' of people there, but there were really probably only several small groups of walkers there at a time. So they were not really being 'bothered' by crowds of spectators. And they don't seem to mind the attention at all. In fact, the owl on the right seemed to be snoozing the whole time we were there, and the single owl across in the other tree was sleeping as we passed back under the tree to leave.
OK, you're probably tired of my owl obsession. This will probably be the last time I force them on you. But I do love owls! I have woven at least two owls, and I feel that there must be at least one more in my future. Or maybe a whole parliament of owls, well, we'll see.
In other birding news: the hummingbirds have come back! I put the feeder out yesterday and there were two there today.
2 comments:
Never tire of the owls! Just envious you have such a wonderful find so close. They usually have a "spare" which is hatched a bit later, to hedge bets and sadly, it is often cast out to starve by it's siblings. Who knows, with all the attention it might make it to the local Audubon Society or wild life rehabber should it be found quickly since it is a so well watched nest.
I certainly hope you have another Owl tapestry in you!
BTW, saw your work in Lowell before it left, what a fabulous piece and what a great exhibit.
I love owls too but have never seen one in the wild. Last year we found a pair of large hawks nesting high up in a spruce tree in the cemetery next to our summer cottage. They did NOT like us walking nearby and I later read about someone who'd been dive-bombed by a nesting hawk on the Cape! (with a minor head injury!)
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