Two and a half weeks old and these Great horned owls are drawing a rather large crowd of photographers. It is so exciting to see them interact with their mother and each other.
They are growing fast and even though Owls sleep during the day as a rule, these inquisitive little creatures keep mom sleeping with one eye open.
The first year this pair has birthed two chicks and what a treat. I can’t wait until they are left alone to explore more of the tree cavity they inhabit. In the previous years it has been fun photographing one chick, now with two, I think we are in for some great shots.
The Great horned owl male is a model of a mate sitting close by with a watchful eye and dropping food into the nest just at the appropriate time. When danger is near he lets out a soft hoot to make the female aware of the situation. He will fly from his branch where he perches in a flash to remove or scare off whatever gets near the family.
These owls are lovers of solitude and I hope with the growing population of fans they do not choose to abandoned this place and go deeper into the woods next year. It is such a blessing to experience this activity in nature.
