Teeny is still doing well - thanks to everyone for the well wishes. Hopefully, we will be able to re-introduce Teeny to the family next week. Fingers crossed that all continues to go well.
I've answered the question that Diesel posted on why we aren't providing enough shelter and water misters for the owls. You'll find the answer under the comments section on the post dated Friday 15 October.
Pot Plant Owl has changed her behaviour this year. The main noticeable difference is that she leaves the chicks alone during the day much more than previous years. The first year, she never left their side during the day. Last year, she was still on the balcony somewhere watching over them (three survived last year so there was much less room for everyone to move around). Today Pot Plant Owl has spent most of the day on the neighbour's roof. The neighbour's roof is straight behind the far corner of the nest that you see when watching the webcam, so she is still in sight of her nest.
The other two chicks are doing well - very lazy. They are approaching 4 weeks old now and are getting more prominent Spotted Eagle Owl patterns on their wings. What you will also see much more of is wing stretching and wing flapping. This is an important part of a chick's development. There's a lot of 'testing the waters' with their wings before they look at trying to fly.
As far as their development goes, the two chicks now in the nest are looking 'perfect' for their age. They are not underfed or malnourished. To viewers, they may appear smaller than the Barn Owl, Molly's chicks, but Spotted Eagle Owls are bigger. Our webcam is looking down at the nest, and what you don't see is a fair distance between the top of the soil level and the lip of the container.
There are no storms predicted for this evening so it should be fun viewing for all. Enjoy and thank you for being part of this!
then perhaps assume that the female is always the same ?
ReplyDeletemaybe the first year she had her first litter, and protected them more.
almost 4 weeks already...soon the curtains can open again ;-)
i read about molly and her chicks. is there a cam to and where can i find that?
ReplyDeletei'm glad its still going good with the little one! keep the hopes up!
http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox
ReplyDeletehttp://mollysbox.wordpress.com/blog/
Here's a link to the Owl Box and her blog :) Enjoy!
I have seen them flapping their wings and it is so comical. The interesting part is going to be when they decide to jump up onto the edge of the pot and really test their wings :-)
ReplyDeleteHi There,
ReplyDeleteI'm a photojournalist with The Times newspaper, would it be at all possible for me to photograph the owls for the paper?
Many Thanks,
Daniel Born
bornd@thetimes.co.za
Hi Daniel
ReplyDeleteYes sure. Please contact us on the contact details on this website for a time.
i'm wondering if that's a good idea. don't you think you disturb the owl's or when its in the papers that other people come to look at the owls? you have always and everywhere people with the wrong idea's! i'm just thinking don't get me wrong!
ReplyDeletei love to watch the owl's from holland!
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ReplyDeleteHi Danielle
ReplyDeleteWe have set up a hide in our bedroom for us to take photos. The glass sliding door has carboard stuck onto it, we have got a dark piece of material attached to the side of the curtains, and the curtains are permanently closed. We have one panel of windows which again have got cardboard stuck to the glass, except for one windown which is at face height. We shoot the camera from this window - just like one would make use of a bird hide in a botanical gardens for example. The owls only see the camera lens so will not be disturbed by anyone.