Separation anxiety
After months of daily observation and more than a little tending, Widget now looks like an adult owl.Beautiful feathers, large luminous eyes, and the steady gaze that must have inspired the "Wise Owl" legends- all the hallmarks of a fully developed raptor. So how soon will Widget leave the nest and join the unmeasured legion of never observed nocturnal predators? New terms have entered our vocabulary. "Branching" is what owl enthusiasts call the stage of moving from the box to nearby bushes and trees. Speaking of enthusiasts- a word of thanks to the dedicated group of enthusiasts who have kept an eye on Widget in various time zones so that a quick stop on U Stream every morning has given us daily feeding reports.Shall we call it d day- for departure day?
What a beautiful pair Betty & Barney are.. thanks for using a capture of them on your blog Dr Bob
ReplyDeleteDr Bob, we are all enjoying Widget. She (he?) is adorable! We have positive wishes that she'll fledge successfully. If she did hatch ~April 21, she is old enough to fly directly from the box. Most owlets would have already left the box by 54-66 days, and will have taken their first flight by 57-64. (Based upon my capturing stats from ~15 California Barn Owl clutches this past year.)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing Widget with us. I wish I had seen Betty & Barney from the beginning--they are gorgeous. Maybe next clutch?
Yes - we should be able to do a rerun in the next mating season. I wonder if I should clean out the box and what a safe means of doing that would consist of.
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