Barred owlet, about 4 weeks old.

The parents start to call loudly to each other in the sugar bush in March, just as maple syrup time is rolling full tilt.  The sugar bush is a mixed hardwood forest, with lots of sugar maples, as well as hemlocks, swampy areas, and old dead beech trees like the one they use for their nest.

Can you see the white fluff of the baby?

Timings have varied from year to year, but this year the mother sat on the eggs in the nest for the month of April, looked after the babies for a few weeks in early May with help from the dad, and then the little owls came out of the nest in late May.

First baby out!

I was quite surprised how early the owlets came out this year.   When I went into the woods for only the second time in May to check the nest, there was already an owlet out, climbing around in the hemlock tree next to the nest.

Hiding

I don’t think I would have known it was there if I hadn’t heard it quietly screeching for food, as they do all day unless they are sleeping!

owlet number 2

Owlet number two was in a tree not far away.   They always see me before I see them.

not ready to fly yet

This little one could barely keep its eyes open, and kept falling asleep.   It’s hard being a baby owl.   They don’t fly yet, and move around by climbing around in the trees using their beaks and talons.   At this stage of development they are called “branchers.”   They begin to fly short distances on their own in a couple more weeks.

Checking out the traffic.

The morning after I found the owlets, I got quite a surprise as I was walking my dog.  An owlet was sitting in a tree right by the side of the road.   Luckily our road is not very busy, and the owl was pretty high up the tree.

close up

Regardless, I got a chance to take a great look at the little owl without being in the sugar bush, which, as much as I love it, is full of biting insects.

Later in the day, the owlet had moved back into the woods.    And though I heard the little ones calling, and the parents hooting, I never saw the owlets again this year.   We went away on a trip, and when we got back the owlets would be flying around quite well on their own.

sleepy

I am so happy that our neighbourhood Barred Owls are such great parents.   We sometimes hear owls hooting as we walk, or when we sit out at night.   Not sure which ones they are, but they probably started off their lives in the sugar bush.

For more on this owl family over the years, see my posts from:

2014:
2015:

This post is brought to you by:

Papa Owl

and

Mama Owl

The post Owls in the Sugar Bush appeared first on Leslie Abram Photography.

I’m pretty fluffy and cute, but look at my talons!

Yes, it’s that time of year again- time for the Barred Owlets to leave the nest and venture out on their own.

I see you.

When owlets come down from their nest, and climb up into the nearby trees they are called “branchers.”   They just crawl around the branches with their talons and beaks, flapping their wings.   They will learn to fly little by little, first by flapping and hopping from one branch to another one nearby, and then flying and gliding short distances on their own.

Tired

Mama owl seems pretty glad to be off her nest, and spends a lot of time sleeping high up in the treetops. Papa owl does a lot of the hunting so he is out and about.   He often brings his prey to the female, and she goes and feeds the babies. The female calls to the male with high rising call, telling him where she is so he can bring her food.   To hear this call, click this link to Barred Owl calls, then choose “female solicitation call.”   The Adult Barred Owls make a wide variety of sounds, which can be listened to on this page from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.    It gives me a thrill every time I hear them vocalizing near me in the woods.

What a perch

The little owlets crawl surprisingly high up into the tops of the trees!  I can only find them by listening for their sound, a high pitched hoarse little screech, then pinpointing where it is coming from.  To hear what their screech sounds like, follow the link and choose “fledgling begging calls.”

Hot up here

The owlets tend to find an exposed branch from where they can screech for food and watch for their parents.    It gets pretty hot up there, so I often see them panting.   When their parents come, it is often accompanied by a great deal of hooting and screeching from all members of the family.

Chipmunk dinner

Here’s Papa Owl, high above in the treetops, coming with dinner for one of the owlets.      Even at this small size, the owlets can swallow a chipmunk whole.

After eating, time for a nap!

I can’t believe how funny this little owlet is with its leg dangling off the branch.   Talk about relaxed!

And then there were three.

One night I was out in the woods and found a third owlet, still sitting on top of the nest tree.   It flapped its wings and teetered a bit on the edge of the tree, then went back down into the nest.  Eventually this little owl found its way down and climbed up into the forest canopy.

Mama and Owlet

One of the last times I saw the little owls, the mother owl was sitting on a branch nearby.   She then flew over to one of the owlets.    I thought she was bringing food, but she actually went over and started preening the little one’s feathers.   It leaned into her, and preened her too. Oh my goodness.   I can’t believe I got to see that!

I’ll preen you too, Mama

The owlets can often be found close together, with the mother nearby.    As time goes on, it becomes harder and harder for me to find them, as they learn to fly and can cover larger distances every day.

Getting Bigger

Here is a photo from one of the last times I saw the owlets.   By now they should be doing some hunting on their own, and have moved further away from the vicinity on their nest tree.

This is the second year in a row I have been fortunate enough to observe a family of Barred Owls growing up.    Sometimes, when I was out in the woods covered up from head to toe, doused in insect repellant, and not seeing or hearing a thing,  something amazing would happen and my patience would be rewarded.   That’s what it was like when I found the third owlet, and also when I got to see the mother and baby owl preening each other.    Both times, I had been just about ready to go home because I had been sitting still for so long.

It’s worth it

Back in the woods, it’s like I am in a secret world, and if I sit long enough that world will just carry on despite my being there.

It’s worth the wait, for sure.

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