Baby Owl Update

 Our babies are thriving and they continue to entertain us every evening and early morning with their cuteness. A week ago, Saturday night, we knew they were ready to bravely jump from the hole and take their first soar to the ground.
I worried and fretted as I do every spring. How brave they are to take this plunge into the unknown dangers below. What if a raccoon is watching from the underbrush? What if Dingo is out prowling for opossum? What if a thunderstorm rolls in? We went to bed hoping to see them clinging to palm fronds in the morning. 

In the early pre-dawn moonlight, we were outside with our coffee scouring the tree tops for owl silhouettes.  We were relieved to catch a glimpse of several pairs of glowing eyes watching us from above. With the moon setting and the sun not quite up we watched as the entertainment began. With the rustle and batting of wings, the babies practiced flying from palm tree to palm tree. Getting this wing thing coordinated can be scary as several times a baby would miss his intended target and end up hanging upside down from a flimsy frond . As comical as this looks, Ma, Pa, and siblings watch the struggle with concern. The baby's only choice is let go and fight for flight control, or hope for a soft landing in the undergrowth below. It is amazing to us that the baby lands safely and quickly climbs the nearest palm to make his way back to the family. 

When the sun supplied more light I was able to catch some sweet photos.

This was taken the day before the anticipated flying lessons.

An exhausted Ma sleeps during the day in the one of the palms
 that faces the tree with the babies tucked inside. 

She may be dozing, but she keeps an eye
on those babies peeking out of the nest.

Pa was sleeping not far from Ma in the loquat tree by the nest. When he sees me sneaking around below he stretches himself to look tall and thin so I might think he is just a branch. (I've been reading up on my screech owls.) He is smaller than Ma. Both parents work hard all night hunting to feed the babies. 

The early morning sighting of a baby out of the nest.

Baby Number Two spotted.

After practicing their flying all three found each other and watched me from above.

Missed the main frond

Struggling to upright himself

The shy one watches the struggle from the same tree.

Had to let go

I wish the palm frondage would have cooperated so I could have had a clear picture of all three. The baby on the right is the shy one and always seems to hide behind one of the larger siblings.

A close up of the smallest baby.

Later in the morning
I saw one sleeping next to Ma in the oak tree out front.

I spotted Pa right above them keeping watch.

Another baby was sound asleep in the same tree.

And the third was hanging with his dozing Pa.

Kim came for a visit and parked beneath the Naptime Oak. She was able to see the whole family that I have been raving about for weeks now.

Everyone is surprised to see that they are so tiny.