One of our fledgling Barn Owls spent the day in a dead tree right outside the barn. Crows dived at him in the morning fog, but he didn't move and they soon gave up and left him (her?) alone. As the day cleared, baby down feathers on his shoulders became obvious. He is still a very new fledgling. He never moved all day long, not through periods of rain and wind, not when the sun made his warm golden colors even more obvious, not when a family of seven with three loudly excited young children came to visit the farm animals... and admire the stoic baby owl. Not even when the sky turned pink behind him did the owl move. But as the sky darkened, his siblings still in the nest box in the barn loft began their begging calls. Then the owl slowly began to wake up, rocking back and forth gently, stopping for long minutes, then rocking again, until finally, when the sky was too dark for photos, he began preening and exercising his wings... nearly falling off the branch in the process. Then he began his begging calls in earnest. At 6:45 p.m., sky dark, he flew to the peak of the new barn.
His rocking wake-up: http://youtu.be/QA8XLp8tk6Y
His begging calls: http://youtu.be/aYfNlM7YWSw
Thank you for posting this series of photos. I feel an attachment to owls, though it has been years since I have seen a barn owl.
ReplyDeleteWell, Don, tonight at 7 there were Barn Owls flying all over the place here. You're welcome to come watch them. They should be carrying on like this for several more days at least. They are still begging loudly for food. Email me for directions linda@fink.com.
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